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Military solution to Venezuelan crisis "measure of last resort" — opposition leader

Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido said the opposition makes everything possible for the transition period to "pass peacefully"

BUENOS AIRES, March 2. /TASS/. Venezuela's opposition will consider a military solution to the crisis only afte all other options fail, opposition leader Juan Guaido told a press conference in Buenos Aires on Friday.

"The military scenario is the measure of last resort, which nobody wants," Guaido said adding that the opposition makes everything possible for the transition period to "pass peacefully."

On January 23 Venezuelan National Assembly Speaker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as the country's acting president. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has described it as a coup attempt and announced severing diplomatic relations with the United States. On January 28 the US imposed sancitons on Venezuela's state-owned PDVSA oil company.

Guaido was recognized as interim president by the Lima Group countries (except for Mexico), as well as by Albania, Georgia, the United States, and the Organization of American States. Several EU countries came forward with support for the Venezuelan parliament and expressed hope for new elections to resolve the crisis. Maduro was supported by Russia, Bolivia, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Turkey. Belarus and China called for resolving all issues by peaceful means and spoke against any interference from the outside. The UN secretary general called for dialogue to resolve the crisis.