Venezuelan ambassador to Russia: Caracas is ready to accept Moscow’s mediation
The ambassador of Venezuela to the Russian Federation, Carlos Rafael Faria Tortosa stated that Venezuela is ready to accept Russia’s mediation in order to establish a dialogue between the government and the opposition.
“We heard the statement made by Russia, we also heard the offer from the Russian side to serve, if necessary, as a mediator in the dialogue between the government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the opposition,” he stated.
Faria Tortosa reminded that earlier Venezuelan president Nikolas Maduro on more than one occasion expressed his readiness to start this dialogue and also showed this readiness. At the same time, according to him, the opposition leadership refuses to sign any documents during negotiations, “receiving this instruction from the United States.”
Earlier, it was reported that a private military group from Russia arrived in Venezuela to support the presidency of Nicolas Maduro. Russia denies this information. “The Russian Federation did not send any military personnel, including private contractors to Venezuela,” stated Frants Klintsevich, a member of the Federation Council Committee on Defense and Security.
Juan Guaido proclaimed himself the interim president of the country and took the oath on the street in front of thousands of his supporters. After that, USA, Canada, and most Latin American countries, as well as a number of other governments, officially recognized Guaido as the interim president of Venezuela.
In response, Maduro announced a decision to sever diplomatic and political relations with the USA. He gave American diplomats 72 hours to leave the Venezuelan territory.