Pars Today

The Venezuelan president says Mexico and Colombia are working hand in glove with the US spy agency CIA in an American “plot” to overthrow the legitimate government in Caracas.

In a televised interview on Monday, Nicolas Maduro sought explanations from the Colombian and Mexican governments about recent comments by CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who said recently that he had held talks in Mexico City and Bogota on the Venezuela issue.

Pompeo told a briefing earlier this month, “We are very hopeful that there can be a transition in Venezuela and we the CIA is doing its best to understand the dynamic there.”

According to Maduro, “The director of the CIA has said, ‘The CIA and the US government work in direct collaboration with the Mexican government and the Colombian government to overthrow the constitutional government in Venezuela and to intervene in our beloved Venezuela.’”

“I demand the government of Mexico and the government of Colombia to properly clarify the declarations from the CIA and I will make political and diplomatic decisions accordingly before this audacity,” he added.

Maduro further accused the governments in Mexico and Colombia of working with the US to protect their oil interests.

The Mexican government has denied the allegations. 

The Maduro administration has come under intense pressure by the opposition and its foreign allies, particularly the US, ahead of a July 30 referendum to form a constituent assembly.

The so-called National Constituent Assembly would have the powers to rewrite the constitution and dissolve government institutions. Maduro says the assembly is needed to end political tensions in the country and has vowed to go ahead with the election despite a US threat to tighten its anti-Caracas bans.

The opposition has called on its supporters to boycott the upcoming vote.

EA