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RUSSIA-VENEZUELA-POLITICS-DIPLOMACY
Russia says blocked from Venezuela talks in Uruguay
MOSCOW, Feb 7, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Russia said Thursday it had “counted on”
being invited to an international dialogue in Montevideo on Venezuela’s
political crisis, but was told it could not participate.
European and Latin American envoys were set to gather in the Uruguayan
capital Thursday for the first meeting of a “Contact Group” with the goal of
creating conditions for a peaceful political process.
“We were counting on Russia having possibility to get involved in the work
that will take place in Montevideo today, at least as an observer state,”
deputy foreign minister Sergei Ryabkov told the RIA Novosti news agency.
“But we were told that such a format is not possible,” he added, without
specifying who had made the decision.
Ryabkov also warned that “destructive outside interference, especially
armed interference, in Venezuela’s internal affairs is the worst possible
scenario.”
Russia is a strong supporter of President Nicolas Maduro and has denounced
the opposition’s “usurpation of power”.
The European Union, eight other European countries and five Latin American
nations are scheduled to take part in the meeting.
The initiative, originally launched by Mexico and Uruguay as a “neutral
countries” conference on Venezuela, has evolved into a meeting of a “Contact
Group” launched by the EU in late January, and joined by Costa Rica, Bolivia
and Ecuador.
On Wednesday, Maduro — having rejected an EU ultimatum on organising snap
presidential elections — welcomed the meeting and expressed support for “all
steps and initiatives to facilitate dialogue”.
But opposition leader Juan Guaido, who on January 23 declared himself
Venezuela’s interim president and is now recognised by 40 countries, has
strongly rejected any talks with the government, dismissing it as a way for
Maduro to buy time.
The Kremlin this week slammed what it said were attempts to interfere in
Venezuela’s domestic affairs after several European countries recognised
Guaido as interim leader.
The two countries have a long history of ties and Maduro’s predecessor
Hugo Chavez, known for his tirades against the United States, was a frequent
visitor to the Kremlin.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1559 hrs