United
Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has rejected an aid
request by Venezuela’s self-proclaimed “interim president” Juan
Guaido, stressing that the body only cooperates with the country’s
recognized government led by President Nicolas Maduro.
Stephane
Dujarric, a spokesman for Guterres, conveyed the secretary general’s
reply to the aid request in a public press briefing on Thursday.
“The
United Nations is ready to increase its activities in Venezuela in
the areas of humanitarian assistance and development. However, for
this, the United Nations needs the consent and the cooperation of the
Government,” said Dujarric.
Last
week, Guaido published a copy of a letter sent to Guterres requesting
UN humanitarian action in Venezuela.
The
letter came shortly after Guaido’s self-proclamation as “interim
president” of Venezuela, rejecting the presidency of Maduro, who
was sworn in earlier after winning an election boycotted by the
opposition.
The move
by Guaido sparked a political crisis in the country, especially after
it was recognized by the United States, which confiscated Venezuelan
state assets in America, including a subsidiary of the Venezuelan
state oil company, to channel them to Guaido.
There
has also been speculation that the US may be preparing for a military
invasion of Venezuela in support of Guaido.
Full
report:
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