The UN Security Council rejected on Thursday a draft resolution put forward by Russia to reaffirm the right of President Nicolas Maduro's government to coordinate aid delivery to the Latin American country. At the very same session the Security Council also struck down a US-backed proposal calling for fresh elections in Venezuela.
"Our document contained support for the Montevideo mechanism, for dialogue and mediation, clearly not what Washington and those delegations are supporting, are not what they are aiming for", Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia said after both US and Russian draft resolutions on Venezuela were not adopted.
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"We deeply regret the fact that the Security Council has once again found itself drowned into this political show and misadventure. The draft submitted by the US delegation was written for regime change disguised as care for people", Nebenzia stated.
On Wednesday, the United States requested that the UN Security Council hold a meeting to vote on its draft resolution calling for new presidential election in Venezuela and the unhindered delivery of humanitarian aid to the Latin American country, which was coordinated with the Venezuelan opposition.
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In turn, Russia has introduced its own draft resolution at the Security Council. According to the text of the Russian-sponsored document, obtained by Sputnik on Wednesday, the draft resolution "reaffirms the primary role of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in the initiation, organization, coordination and implementation of international assistance efforts and initiatives within its national territory, and recalls that such assistance should be provided with the consent of and on the basis of an appeal by the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela".
Tensions in Venezuela escalated on 23 January, when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president. Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro called Guaido's move an attempt to stage a coup. The US and around 50 other countries have recognized Guaido. Russia and a number of other states have voiced their support for constitutionally elected Maduro.
