WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 27th February, 2019) US Vice President Mike Pence in a statement said he has briefed several US lawmakers about his trip to Colombia and meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido.
"Met with Senators Marco Rubio, Senator Rick Scott, and Jim Risch and Congressmen Mario Diaz Balart, Eliot Engel, Michael McCaul and Congresswomen Debbie Wasserman Schultz on Cap Hill today to update them on my discussions with Juan Guaido and the Lima Group," Pence said via Twitter on Tuesday.
Risch said about the meeting that they reaffirmed there is no change in US policy on Venezuela. The United States continues to back Guaido, he added.
Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to orchestrate a coup ever since Guaido declared himself interim president last month. Within days of Guaido's pronouncement, the United States seized billions of Dollars' worth of Venezuela's oil assets while several US officials threatened to take military action against Maduro's government.
Russia, China, Cuba, Bolivia, Turkey and a number of other states have reaffirmed their support for Maduro as Venezuela's only legitimate president. In addition, the United Nations also still recognizes the Maduro government. Mexico and Uruguay have refused to recognize Guaido, declaring themselves neutral and calling for crisis settlement via dialogue.
