The United States has submitted to the Security Council a draft calling for elections in Venezuela, but Russia has presented an opposite plan

The United States has proposed United Nations Security Councils a draft resolution on Venezuela, in which it is requested to facilitate international humanitarian aid and to engage in the presidential elections, text which is opposed Russia, according to diplomatic sources.

The US project expresses the "full support" of the Security Council in the National Assembly Venezuelan, "the only democratically elected institution in Venezuela," according to sources that had access to the document.

Noting "its deep concern at the violence and the excessive use of force by Venezuelan security forces against peaceful and unarmed demonstrators", the The text also calls for a "political process leading to free, fair and credible presidential elections".

The draft resolution also requests the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, who "use their good offices" to carry out this electoral process and insists on the need to avoid "further deterioration" of the humanitarian situation and "facilitate access and provision of badistance to those who need it"

Washington has not yet set a date for voting and, according to a diplomat, negotiations are continuing. Other diplomatic sources also indicated that if elections were called, Russia, which supports Nicolás Maduro and accuses the United States of supporting a "coup d'etat" in Venezuela, will use its right of veto.

An "alternative text" from Moscow

Russia, China, Equatorial Guinea and South Africa have already blocked the possibility that the Security Council issued a statement on this tone last month. But the same four countries failed in the goal of a Russian-led gamble for the council to stop publicly discussing Venezuela.

Friday Moscow offers its 14 partners an "alternative text" to that proposed by Washington, according to diplomats.

The Russian text expresses "the concern" of the Council before "the Threats of Use of Force against Territorial Integrity and Political Independence"Venezuela, also criticizes" the temptations to intervene in matters that constitute mainly domestic affairs "of this country.

This text calls for "an adjustment of the current situation (…) by peaceful means". It also supports "all initiatives aimed at finding a political solution among Venezuelans, including the Montevideo mechanism", based on a national dialogue.

It was unclear whether or when the draft resolution of the Security Council could be put to a vote. Council resolution requires nine votes and no veto from the United States, Britain, France, Russia or China should be approved.

Mediation Initiatives

Thursday, a International Contact Group At its first meeting in Montevideo, he called for "free, transparent and credible presidential elections" in Venezuela, underlining his desire to "end the use of force".

The European Union (EU), eight countries in this bloc and three Latin America They pledged in the Uruguayan capital to work to "establish the necessary guarantees for a credible electoral process as soon as possible" in Venezuela, according to the final declaration of the meeting, signed by all the participating countries, at the end of the day. exception of Mexico and Bolivia.

According to one diplomat, if the Russian text is voted, it will not have enough votes – nine, without any country to exercise its veto – to be approved.

A cargo of medicine and food sent by Washington arrived Thursday at the border town of Cúcuta (Colombia), where a collection center has been installed near the international bridge Small shops, blocked by the Venezuelan army with two containers and a tanker.

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó, recognized by half a hundred countries as interim president of Venezuela, said he would do "all we need to do to save human lives".

Guaidó was proclaimed acting president on Jan. 23 after the parliament declared Maduro "usurper" for being re-elected in contested elections both inside and outside the country. Venezuela.

With information from AFP and Reuters