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The United States stepped up their pressure on Friday to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro from power, as US diplomats leave the Caracas embbady and Russia pledges to support its South American ally.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday urged UN Security Council members to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the leader of Venezuela's legitimate state.
Washington has called for a meeting of 15 council members after a series of countries rallied to Guaido, president of the Venezuelan congress, and urged Maduro to step down.
Russia opposes this demand and accused Washington of backing a coup attempt, putting Venezuela at the heart of a growing geopolitical duel. Moscow will insist on respect for international law, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was quoted by the RIA news agency as saying on Friday.
Maduro said he welcomed the debate on the situation in Venezuela and thanked Pompeo for making this UN request at a press conference on Friday.
"I was about to tell the Minister of Foreign Affairs to request a debate in the Security Council, (but) Mike Pompeo has been getting ahead of me," Maduro said. "Thanks, Mike … Let's tell the truth about the articles of the constitution, on the coup de l'état."
Earlier, US diplomats left the US Embbady in Caracas in a convoy of vehicles escorted by police to get to the airport, according to a Reuters witness.
In a fiery speech on Wednesday, Maduro broke off diplomatic relations with Washington and ordered the American staff out within 72 hours.
The state department on Thursday ordered US government employees to leave Venezuela and said that US citizens living in the country should consider leaving it. He did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the movements of Embbady staff on Friday.
United Nations human rights officer Michelle Bachelet on Friday called for an investigation into the alleged excessive use of force by Venezuelan security forces against protesters, adding that she was "extremely concerned" that the situation could escalate rapidly.
"No false dialogue"
Guaido, who sparked opposition from Venezuela, proclaimed himself acting president on Wednesday during a march of several hundred thousand people in Caracas. He plans to apply for funds from international institutions, including the International Monetary Fund, said Friday two people aware of the discussions.
However, it still has no control over the Venezuelan state and army, which have so far remained loyal to Maduro.
Guaido has promised future amnesties to the military if they disown Maduro.
Friday, Guaido repeated his offer to the armed forces around Venezuela, asking the soldiers "to side with the constitution." He also called for mbad protests next week.
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| Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido makes gestures during a press conference in Caracas [Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters] |
Most Latin American countries have joined the United States to support Guaido's claims to the presidency, although the new left-wing Mexican government has declared that it would not take sides. Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador said on Friday that his administration would be willing to mediate.
Guaido said that he would reject any negotiations not including the Maduro exit, the establishment of a transitional government and free elections to appoint a new president.
"Nobody wants false dialogues (…) the only thing we want to negotiate is the end of the usurpation," he told a crowd gathered on a square in the Chacao district of Caracas, a stronghold of opposition.
For his part, Maduro said that he would be willing to engage in discussions with the opposition in order to avoid violence.
"I am engaged in a national dialogue.Today, tomorrow and always, I am committed and ready to go where I have to.I personally, if I have to meet this young man … I'll go" chief has said.
Analysts believe that Maduro's strategy could be time-saving.
"In the past, when the Maduro government faced [similar situations] he has always opted for a strategy in which he calls for national and international dialogue, "said Carlos Eduardo Pina, a Venezuelan political scientist.
"He's trying to save time, he did it in the past and he did it," Pina added. "[Maduro] succeeded in dismantling the opposition forces, their leaders and their supporters, thus rendering them unable to reach their own political agenda ".
US seeks to cut funds
To boost pressure on Maduro, which began its second term on Jan. 10 following a widely-considered fraud election last year, the US is seeking to cut funds for its government, US officials said Thursday.
Guaido is also preparing a new board of directors to lead the US-based Citgo Petroleum division of the oil company PDVSA, according to sources close to the talks.
Maduro warned against any attempt to take control of Citgo, the country's main offshore badet.
"It is the property of the Venezuelan people and we will defend it," he said.
The board of directors of Citgo, appointed by Maduro, is preparing a legal strategy to defend itself, said sources close to the talks.
Oil prices rose slightly on Friday as the political turmoil threatened to tighten the global crude oil supply.
Washington has said it could impose new sanctions on Venezuela's vital oil sector, an OPEC member.
"The oil situation is for us a moral and ethical dilemma," said US Senator Richard Durbin, the second Democrat in the Senate.
"Cutting the entire oil trade would be the last step.This would make things worse for the average man."
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