MOSCOW, September 4. /TASS/. Moscow considers the newly established US Diplomatic Office for Venezuela at the US Embassy in Colombia an attempt to interfere in the internal affairs of Venezuela, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova stated on Wednesday.
"As you know, the US and Venezuela have broken off their diplomatic relations. A logical question arises: what is the goal of the office established by the US? According to the US State Department’s statement, Washington plans to use it to legitimize contacts with the self-proclaimed acting president Guaido and to exert further pressure on the legitimate government in Caracas. This construct is absolutely illegitimate," she stressed.
According to Zakharova, it is unclear how the US plans to implement its plans on the "restoration of democracy and constitutional order" in Venezuela. "How can we talk about restoring constitutional order if everyone who is considered legitimate by Washington is being sponsored by Washington," the diplomat continued.
"Once again, we call all states that have influence to refrain from unilateral steps and to facilitate inter-Venezuelan talks on finding a solution through inclusive dialogue in strict accordance with the Venezuelan constitution," the spokeswoman concluded.
On August 28, the US State Department announced the creation of a temporary diplomatic office for Venezuela at the US embassy in Colombia. According to US diplomats, the aim of the office is to communicate with the Venezuelan opposition.
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.