MOSCOW, February 6. /TASS/. Caracas faces a looming threat of military intervention but Washington’s plans will not work, Venezuela’s Ambassador in Moscow Carlos Faria Tortosa said on Wednesday.
"We are facing a looming threat of military intervention. When [US President Donald Trump’s national security adviser John] Bolton, or [Secretary of State Mike] Pompeo, or President [Donald] Trump speak, it is unclear whether they do it merely to threaten and intimidate us, or that is their genuine intention," the ambassador said.
"But it will not work in our country. The top military have reiterated that service members are loyal to the Constitution and will be defending it," he stressed.
Venezuelan crisis
On January 23, the leader of Venezuela’s opposition Juan Guaido, whose appointment as parliamentary speaker had been annulled by the Supreme Court two days before that, declared himself as interim president. On the same day, the United States recognized him as acting head of state. So did the Lima Group countries (excluding Mexico), the Organization of American States, and a number of other countries. Current Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro slammed the developments as an attempted coup and severed diplomatic ties with the US.
Some European countries gave an ultimatum to Maduro, urging him to call an early presidential election within eight days, and after the deadline had expired, they recognized Guaido as interim president.
Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey stood up for Maduro’s support. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for dialogue to resolve the crisis.