CARACAS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th February, 2019) Venezuela does not maintain any relations with Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah and is capable of ensuring its own security, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said, dismissing US claims about the group's activity in the South American country.
US State Secretary Mike Pompeo in an interview with Fox business, released on Wednesday, alleged that Hezbollah, which was believed to have ties with Iran, had active cells in Venezuela, allowing Tehran to impact people across South America.
"We have no relations with Hezbollah but there are indeed a lot of Lebanese people living in Venezuela. Our country is capable of ensuring its own security and it does not need any armed formations for this," Maduro said.
Venezuela is currently facing a political crisis. In January, opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself the country's interim president and was immediately recognized by the United States and a number of other regional states, while Maduro was backed by China, Russia and a number of other countries as Venezuela's only president.
A number of EU member states have also individually recognized Guaido as Venezuela's interim president after the Venezuelan authorities failed to organize a new presidential election in the country within an eight-day period set by the EU states. EU countries were also expected to issue a joint statement recognizing Guaido, however, Italy vetoed the motion.
Maduro has lashed out on Washington over its policies toward Caracas, suggesting the United States thought to take control over Venezuela's oil assets. Maduro also accused Guaido of acting at the instructions from Washington.
