Russia bashes US for flagrant intervention in Venezuela

“The provocation and external destructive influence, under the hypocritical pretext of humanitarian aid has nothing to do with the democratic process,” Lavrov said on Saturday in a phone call with his US counterpart Mike Pompeo.

The comments by Moscow’s top diplomat, published by Russian Foreign Ministry, have been among the strongest to come amid a dispute between the US and Russia on how to handle a crisis in Venezuela, a country where rounds of US-led sanctions have deprived the government of its oil income.

The Venezuelan government believes the US and allies are trying to engineer a regime change in the South American country by creating various economic problem and making day-to-day life difficult for its citizens.

Lavorv, whose country backs the government of President Nicolas Maduro in the face of increased US pressure, said Washington was continuing with its “flagrant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state and the shameless violation of international law” while condemning “the American threats against the legitimate government”.

The phone call came after government of US President Donald Trump imposed new sanctions on people responsible for blocking convoys of US aid which had been destined to cross into Venezuela from neighboring Colombia and Brazil earlier this week.

Trump’s administration has already recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president, a move opposed and condemned by countries like Russia and China as a violation of the international law and an assault on the country’s sovereignty.

Lavrov told Pompeo on Saturday that “only the Venezuelans have the right to decide their future”, adding that Moscow was ready to hold talks with the White House on the Venezuela issue.