"I believe that since its establishment in 1945, the United Nations has been the most universal and legitimate system for regulating international law. The theory and practice of 'back door' politics are insulting. This is why I believe that Latin American countries will react to John Bolton's arrogant statement. He didn't just imply that the Monroe Doctrine was applicable to Venezuela, he insulted all of Latin America," Lavrov said at a joint news conference with Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Al-Thani.
The comment refers to the Sunday's statement made by Bolton said in an interview with CNN that the United States was applying the Monroe Doctrine, a policy penned in the 1820s that aimed at securing an all-democratic Western Hemisphere through influence over Latin American countries, to the situation in Venezuela.
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The comment was made amid the raging political and financial crisis in Venezuela, which escalated in late January when US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido illegally declared himself interim president.
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The United States immediately recognized Guaido, seized billions of dollars worth of the country’s oil assets and threatened to use military action against incumbent President Nicolas Maduro's government. Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia and a number of other countries have reaffirmed their support for Maduro as Venezuela’s only legitimate president.