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US settlement plan for Venezuela does not combine with bounty on Maduro, says diplomat

MOSCOW, April 23. /TASS/. The democratic transition plan for Venezuela announced by Washington combines poorly with the bounty set for Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said Thursday.

"Such superficial constructiveness of the Washington’s proposal does not combine with the US authorities’ decision to set up a bounty for the head of [President] Maduro, who has already been accused of all deadly sins," she said. "Besides, [this proposal] looks strange, considering a decision to set up naval exercises in the Caribbean Sea, which seek to effectively blockade a sovereign nation."

"We cannot react positively to such diplomatic innovations from Washington, which hardly even qualifies as innovation, considering its goal remains the same: to remove the incumbent legitimate President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro from power," the spokeswoman added.

On March 31, US State Secretary Mike Pompeo announced the crisis settlement plan for Venezuela, which involves creation of interim government with representatives from both the opposition and the current government and consecutive withdrawal of the US sanctions. According to Pompeo, the US suggest to establish a State Council that will serve as an interim government until presidential and parliamentary elections, which, according to the US plan, are supposed to take place in 6 to 12 months.