US Aim in Venezuela is Regime Change, Including Military Option - Russian Envoy

Russian Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia said Tuesday at the UNSC meeting that the United States has aimed to change the regime in the crisis-torn Venezuela.

Russian Envoy to the UN also called Tuesday on all countries at the UN Security Council to oppose military intervention in Venezuela, stressing that country's sovereignty should be respected.

Moreover, Nebezia said Tuesday that Venezuela's assets should be unblocked. "It is necessary to provide opportunities and unblock opportunities for Caracas to carry out payments for the delivery of food and medicine", Nebenzia said on Tuesday.

Nebenzia added the United States and the United Kingdom have recently stolen $30 billion from Venezuela in oil and assets.

Venezuela is currently going through a political crisis. The United States has imposed numerous rounds of sanctions on Venezuela amid the political turmoil in the country. In January, Washington blocked around $7 billion in assets belonging to Venezuela's state oil firm PDVSA. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro slammed the restrictions, comparing them to illegal seizing.

On 5 January, lawmaker Juan Guaido was elected as the president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which all other government branches have been refusing to recognize since 2016.

On 23 January, two days after the Venezuelan Supreme Court annulled his election, Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president." Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on 10 January after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.
Moreover, Guaido conspired with the United States to try and force unauthorized humanitarian aid across Venezuela's borders on Saturday. The move led to border clashes and prompted Caracas to sever diplomatic and political relations with neighboring Colombia.

On Monday, in the wake of the failure to deliver aid to Venezuela, US officials called for a UN Security Council meeting.

Russia had prepared its own draft document in support of Venezuela, calling on UN member-states to halt attempts to intervene in the Latin American country’s foreign affairs and stressing the need for a peaceful settlement to the crisis.

Russia, China, Cuba, Iran, Turkey and a number of other states reaffirmed their support for constitutionally elected Maduro as Venezuela’s only legitimate president after the United States and several allies recognized Guaido.