Lavrov denounces US’ statement about Russia’s role in Venezuela as wrong

Sergey Lavrov

TASHKENT, May 2. /TASS/: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has denounced the statement of Russia’s role in the situation in Venezuela made by the US representatives as untrue.

"The enumeration all that official representatives for the American administration say about Venezuela leads to endless questions, and as a rule, diplomatically speaking, the answer to all these questions would be ‘wrong,’" the top diplomat said, answering a TASS question.

Russia will mobilize the efforts of the states that respect the UN Charter for countering the US’ plans on Venezuela, Lavrov told reporters.

"Our position [on the US’ plans on Venezuela] will be very simple. We will mobilize a group of states that, like us, respect the UN Charter to counter such schemes," he said.

"This group is being formed in the UN, and I hope that it will receive serious support in the organization," the minister noted. "Because the issue is about a very simple thing which can hardly be distorted: the protection of the basic norms and principles of international law, the way they are enshrined in the UN Charter."

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reported that during a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo an agreement was reached to continue contacts on Venezuela.

"We agreed to continue contacts, in particular on Venezuela. However, I don’t see the way the positions can be combined - our positions, on the one hand, which are based on the UN Charter and principles and norms of international law and the positions of the US, on the other hand, which appoints from Washington ‘acting presidents’ in another country, demand that legitimate authorities capitulate and threaten to use force simultaneously with oppressive sanctions in order to change the regime," he said, answering a TASS question.

"The positions are incompatible, but we are ready to talk," Lavrov stressed.

The US’ intention to return to the Monroe Doctrine means disrespect not just for Venezuela, but for the Latin American peoples in general, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told journalists, answering a TASS question.

"I believe that such vociferous statements to return to the 200-year doctrine mainly reflect disrespect not just for the Venezuelan people, but for the Latin American peoples in general," the minister said.

Anti-governmental demonstrations were held in Caracas and other Venezuelan cities on Tuesday, after a military group had sided with opposition leader Juan Guaido.

On May 1, Lavrov said in a telephone conversation with US Secretary of State Michael Pompeo that Washington’s intervention into the domestic affairs of Venezuela, where the opposition attempted a coup d’etat, is inacceptable.