Days of foreign intervention in Latin America long gone: UN
United Nations (UN) Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the days of foreign intervention in Latin America are “long ago gone,” expressing hope that no foreign forces would enter Venezuela, after US President Donald Trump repeated his threats of taking military action against the South American country.
“I was very encouraged by the demonstration last Saturday in which the demonstrations took place without violence,” the UN chief also said in an interview with the US government-sponsored broadcaster Voice of America (VOA) at the United Nations in New York, referring to rallies in Venezuela.
“Our strong appeal is to avoid all forms of violence that, of course, serve no purpose and benefit nobody,” Guterres added.
Venezuela has been in political turmoil in the past couple of weeks, with the opposition, holding widespread anti-government protests, blaming the country’s President Nicolas Maduro over an ailing economy, hyperinflation, power cuts, and shortages of basic items, urging him to resign.
On Sunday, Venezuelan authorities found a large shipment of US-made weapons aboard a cargo plane that had taken off from Miami, Florida, and had landed at the Arturo Michelena International Airport in the city of Valencia. The case is still under investigation to identify the precise source of the weapons.
However, Maduro on Monday ruled out the possibility of “war” and direct “military intervention” in Venezuela from outside, but stressed this “does not mean that we do not prepare to defend our land” from any US military invasion.
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