ANKARA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 09th April, 2019) Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Bolivian counterpart, Evo Morales, voiced on Tuesday at a joint press conference support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, denouncing Washington's meddling in the domestic affairs of the Latin American country.
Morales is currently on an official visit to Turkey.
"The people of Venezuela expressed their will in last year's election. We do not consider to be democratic third states' [critical] estimates of our Venezuelan friends' expression of their will. Recognizing someone else as president [of Venezuela] in disregard of the election process, akin to designating a governor of one's own state, has nothing to do with democracy. We continue to recognize Maduro as president," Erdogan said.
Meanwhile, Morales voiced the belief that the Venezuelan people would not allow foreign forces to interfere in the country's domestic politics.
"I know Venezuela and its people well. These are a revolutionary people. This is a country that always protects its independence. Whatever the Venezuelan government is � be it right-wing or left-wing � the people will not allow third forces' interference. We support Venezuela. Foreign attempts to designate a president resemble designations of governor-generals in the colonial era. We disapprove of such actions that are carried out by the United States," Morales said.
On January 23, Juan Guaido, the head of the opposition-controlled Venezuelan National Assembly, which all other government branches have been refusing to recognize since 2016, declared himself the country's "interim president." Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on January 10 after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington.
The United States immediately recognized Guaido, after which around 50 other countries followed suit. Russia, Bolivia, Turkey, China, Cuba and a number of other states have, in the meantime, voiced their support for the legitimate government of Maduro. Mexico and Uruguay have refused to recognize Guaido, declaring themselves neutral and promoting crisis settlement through dialogue.
