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US meddling in Venezuelan affairs may lead to collapse - Russian foreign ministry

"Numerous political actors in Washington do not see the harmfulness of this path towards which they push this whole story", said Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova Sergei Savostyanov/TASS
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova
© Sergei Savostyanov/TASS

UN, May 1. /TASS/. Washington’s meddling in Venezuela’s sovereign affairs may cause the collapse of the situation, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters on Tuesday.

"Numerous political actors in Washington do not see the harmfulness of this path towards which they push this whole story. It is strange, because it is obvious to everyone now," she said. "If Washington continues its meddling attempts in internal affairs, it may cause a collapse of the situation."

Earlier on Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido published a video on Twitter, in which he urged the Venezuelan military to take to the streets in order to "end the usurpation" in the country. A group of military officers and head of the Popular Will party Leopoldo Lopez also appear in the video. There have been reports of shooting and release of tear gas near the road leading up to the Francisco de Miranda Airbase in Caracas, where Guaido recorded the video.

Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader and speaker of the National Assembly, whose appointment to that position had been cancelled by the country’s Supreme Court, declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital, Caracas, on January 23. On the same day, the United States recognized him as an interim president, and the countries of the Lima Group (excluding Mexico) and the Organization of American States followed suit. Venezuela's incumbent President Nicolas Maduro blasted the move as an attempted coup and announced cutting diplomatic ties with the United States.

Most European Union member states recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president. Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey voiced support for Maduro.