Syria, China condemn US ‘interference’ in Venezuela’s domestic affairs

Syria and China have condemned US interference in Venezuela, after Washington recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself president, as interim leader.

Damascus strongly censured US President Donald Trump’s administration for its “interference” in the South American country’s internal affairs after the White House recognized the self-proclamation of Guaido, the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, as the president of the country.

Syria “condemns in strongest terms going to extremes by the US and its blatant interference in the affairs of … Venezuela which constitutes a flagrant violation of all international norms and laws and a brazen attack against the Venezuelan sovereignty,” Syria’s official news agency SANA quoted an unnamed official from the country’s Foreign and Expatriates Ministry as saying on Thursday.

The strongly-worded statement by the Syrian ministry came just one day after Juan Guaido, the 35-year-old leader of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled National Assembly, abruptly declared himself the “interim president,” of the country and quickly won the backing of the US and its Latin American allies.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry’s officials further said that Damascus categorically “rejects US blatant interference” in other countries in general and in Venezuela in particular, renewing Syria’s “full solidarity with the Venezuelan leadership and people” in preserving the sovereignty of the Latin American country and its tireless efforts in foiling the “hostile schemes” of the US administration.

China opposes outside interference in Venezuela

Meanwhile, at a regular briefing in the capital Beijing, China’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said that her respective country would “support” the Venezuelan government in its efforts to protect the Latin American state’s “independence and stability,” calling for all sides to calmly and reasonably find a peaceful solution.

“I want to emphasize that outside sanctions or interference usually make the situation more complicated and are not helpful to resolving the actual problems,” she further said, in an apparent reference to Washington’s move in recognizing Guaido’s self-proclaimed presidency.

SS