US, Russia clash over Venezuelan crisis at a stormy UNSC meeting
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UNITED NATIONS: Representatives of United States and Russia Saturday clashed in the United Nations Security Council over the tense situation in Venezuela, with the United States urging all nations to support Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido while Russia accusing the Trump administration of attempting "to engineer a coup d'etat" in the Latin American country.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the 15-member Council at a meeting called by the United States that it's beyond time to back the Venezuelan people as they try to free themselves from what he called embattled President Nicolaas Maduro's "illegitimate mafia state" and back Guaido, who has declared himself the country's interim president, arguing that Maduro's re-election was fraudulent.
But Russia's U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia said Venezuela doesn't threaten international peace and security and accused "extremist opponents" of President Maduro's legitimate government of choosing "maximum confrontation," including the artificial creation of a parallel government. He urged Pompeo, the US secretary of state, to say whether the U.S. will use military force.
Pompeo later told reporters who asked for a response, "I am not going to speculate or hypothesize on what the U.S. will do next."
The Security Council has not been able to take action on the Venezuelan crisis because of deep divisions, especially among the Security Council's five veto-wielding permanent members.
The leaders of two of those council nations — France and Britain — joined Spain and Germany to turn up the pressure on Maduro Saturday, saying they would follow the U.S. and others in recognizing Guaido unless Venezuela calls new presidential elections within eight days.
But the opposition to Guaido was reflected in the initial procedural vote on whether the Security Council should even discuss the crisis in Venezuela, which is not on its official agenda.
The United States barely survived the vote to go ahead with the meeting, receiving the minimum nine "yes" votes from the council's six Western nations along with Kuwait, Peru and the Dominican Republic. China, South Africa and Equatorial Guinea joined Russia in voting "no" while Indonesia and Ivory Coast abstained. Meanwhile, UN political chief that the protracted crisis in Venezuela was a serious concern and was having a grave impact on the country's population.
“We must do all we can to prevent a worsening of tensions,” Rosemary DiCarlo, UN Under Secretary-General of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs told Council members: “We must try to help bring about a political solution that will allow the country’s citizens to enjoy peace, prosperity and all their human rights.”
In a statement issued by his Spokesperson on Wednesday, UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged all parties to “lower tensions” in the South American country and called for all relevant actors to commit to inclusive and credible political dialogue. Concerned by reports of casualties in the context of demonstrations and unrest in and around the capital Caracas, the UN chief also called for a transparent and independent investigation of those incidents.
Today, Ms. DiCarlo described the situation in Venezuela as “dire”, and as having both an economic and political dimension.
“The population is affected in a systemic way, nearly all 30 million Venezuelans are affected by hyperinflation and a collapse of real salaries; shortages of food, medicine and basic supplies; deterioration of health and education services; deterioration of basic infrastructure such as water, electricity, transport and urban services,” she told the Council.
Pompeo, the US secretary of state, targeted Russia and China, accusing them of trying "to prop up Maduro while he is in dire straits ... in the hopes of recovering billions of dollars in ill-considered investments and assistance made over the years."But he saved his sharped attack for Cuba, saying no country has done more to sustain "the nightmarish condition of the Venezuelan people.
"He said Cuba has sent "security and intelligence thugs" to sustain Maduro's "illegitimate rule," the charges Hvana's representative denied."Now is the time for every other national to pick a side," Pompeo said. "No more delays, no more games. Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you're in league with Maduro and his mayhem."
China's U.N.
Ambassador Ma Zhaoxu said his government "firmly opposed" the U.S. accusations and doesn't interfere in the internal affairs of other countries."We hope the country that accuses others can do likewise itself," Ma told the council.Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, while accusing the United States of destabilizing his country, said President Maduro still hopes to establish communication and dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
“It is our intention to establish communication and dialogue with the government of President Trump, that offer stands and is still on the table. That is what we have sought to do since the very first day of office,” the foreign minister said.
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