Malaysia backs for Venezuela's crisis to be solved without external interference

By R.Ravichandran

KUALA LUMPUR, July 1 (Bernama) -- Malaysia has expressed its view that the solution to Venezuela’s ongoing crisis should only be solved by Venezuelans, without external interference, said Minister Counsellor and Charge d’Affaires of the Embassy of Venezuela in Malaysia, Morella Barreto Lopez.

She said the view was conveyed to her by Malaysian Foreign Ministry’s Secretary General, Datuk Seri Muhammad Shahrul Ikram Yaakob, during her courtesy call in Putrajaya on June 27.

Describing the meeting as cordial, the Venezuelan diplomat said that they exchanged information about the state of diplomatic relations between Caracas and Kuala Lumpur, which was established in 1986.

Barreto said she provided detailed information on the current situation in Venezuela and its effects on the country's inhabitants.

“Malaysia reiterated its position of respect for international law, the Charter of the United Nations, non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, and the self-determination of peoples,” she told Bernama International News Service here, today.

Barreto pointed out that Malaysia has always been committed to the peaceful settlement of any disputes via negotiations and dialogues.

She said Venezuela also invited Malaysia to attend the Ministerial Meeting of the Coordinating Bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM – CoB) in Caracas, from July 18-21, themed “Promotion and Consolidation of Peace through Respect for International Law”.

The crisis in Venezuela escalated after Nicolas Maduro’s inauguration as president for a second six-year term on Jan 10, following his re-election as president in May 2018, when Opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself as interim president at an opposition rally in Caracas on Jan 23.

Claiming that Maduro’s second term was illegitimate, Guaido alleged that the Venezuelan constitution allowed him to step in as president.

On Jan 24, the US, which had imposed various levels of sanctions on Venezuela including economic and financial sanctions, announced its recognition of Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela while Russia, China and many other countries are still backing Maduro.

-- BERNAMA