Russia accused the United States arm opponents | The Kre …

The Russian government yesterday accused the United States and its NATO allies of working on weapons projects at the Venezuelan opposition.

"There is information about US companies and their NATO allies working on the issue of buying large quantities of weapons and ammunition in a country of origin." Eastern Europe for later transfer to Venezuela's opposition forces, "he said in a statement. Press the Foreign Affairs Spokeswoman, Maria Zajárova.

According to the Interfax news agency, he mentioned heavy machine guns, automatic grenade launchers, portable air defense systems (Mapnads) and various types of artillery.

He argued that the United States – which supports the self-proclaimed President of Venezuela and the President of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó – are planning to transfer arms to the Venezuelan opposition "in early March" several times. This will be done with the help of cargo aircraft of "the state company (Ukrainian transport and aviation Antónov, among others").

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's spokesman said the US was deploying "special forces and military equipment near the Venezuelan border." Zajárova claimed that the United States intended to cross the border "under the pretext of sending humanitarian aid".

Russia, which supports Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, believes that a "dangerous large-scale provocation" led and instigated by the United States is preparing today, with "the crossing of the Venezuelan border of d Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad Mad,,,,,,,,,. 39, a so-called humanitarian convoy likely to provoke partisan and opposing clashes "of the president.

Washington intends to create "a convenient pretext for military action to remove power from the current legitimate president of the country," said the spokeswoman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Guaidó reaffirmed Thursday in a "presidential decree" the authorization of humanitarian aid entry that the government of President Nicolás Maduro refuses to accept and asked the military to act in accordance to their instructions.

As tensions at the border increased, it was learned yesterday that Venezuelans who left the country because of the political and economic crisis are now at 3.4 million, including 2.7 million in other countries. Latin America. , according to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

UN agencies have so far treated the official figure of 3 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants, including 2.4 million in the countries of the region. "Outflows continue to grow without interruption," the two agencies said in a statement, estimating that some 5,000 Venezuelans are fleeing their country every day. Therefore, if the pace continues, the total figure will exceed 5 million by the end of the year.

Colombia is the main host country with 1.1 million immigrants and refugees. Then come Peru (506,000), Chile (288,000), Ecuador (221,000), Argentina (130,000) and Brazil (96,000), according to figures released yesterday. by IOM and UNHCR.

"The countries of the region have shown tremendous solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants and have put into practice clever solutions to help them," said the representative of UNHCR and IOM. for the country of South America, Eduardo Stein. Despite this, "the figures show the pressure on the host communities and the need for support from the international community, at a time when it is closely following the political events in Venezuela," he added.

UN agencies also highlighted yesterday the sharp increase in the number of asylum applications made by Venezuelan citizens, who presented only 232,000 in 2018, out of a total of 390,000 in the last five years. last years.

Venezuelan Vice Minister of International Communication, William Castillo, said the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNA) is handling migration figures for Venezuelans, who according to the agency are located in the country. 3.4 million. "We are not surprised by the UNHCR, which is actively involved, through some Venezuelan and regional officials, in handling figures that do not demonstrate the reality of the report," he said at the meeting. An interview at Union Radio.

The deputy minister said that he had requested the help of the IOM so that the countries publish the statistical data that they handle and "therefore do not continue to manipulate the". public opinion with this figure ". Venezuelan authorities have repeatedly stated that such figures have been manipulated to badert international claims of humanitarian crisis and promote an invasion of their territory.