Russia slams US policy on Venezuela

Moscow: The shortsighted and ham-fisted US policy on Venezuela made Washington’s allies cast doubt on its actions, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova told reporters at a press briefing.

“Even the part of the global community, which didn’t play along but gave free rein to Washington in connection with its statements about all options on the table, is now knowingly keeping silent. Evidently, they’ve just mustered up the strength to publicly agree that there is no alternative to a peaceful solution to the Venezuelan issue,” the diplomat said.

“The United States’ actions there were just so ham-fisted, and not only crude, but foolish, leading to disastrous consequences, that even those who always meekly backed Washington’s policy unquestionably in spite of whatever direction it went in, had to think long and hard,” the diplomat added.

Zakharova noted that the US-instigated attempt undertaken by the radical faction of the Venezuelan opposition on February 23 to break through the border under the guise of transporting humanitarian aid was doomed to failure, because its organizers realized it would be foiled. Now the blood of those killed in the incident is on the hands of the provocateurs, she stressed.

“Thanks to the photos that have been provided, we know for sure what [the trucks on the border with Venezuela] were carrying. The appropriate evidence was presented at the UN Security Council meeting on February 26, and the issue is yet to be tackled in detail,” the diplomat stressed. According to Zakharova, even a cursory analysis of the photos and video footage shows that attempts to shift responsibility for this provocation on the Maduro government, citing its alleged atrocities, are groundless.