Buenos Aires, February 28 (RHC) -– Venezuela has called for a meeting of the Union of South American Nations, UNASUR, following an attempted coup and attacks by the opposition in the country.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Elias Jaua brought up the issue during a visit to Argentina on Thursday as part of a South American tour to report on his country’s state of affairs and rally support for the case to be heard at the UNASUR.
During a meeting with his Argentinean counterpart Héctor Timerman in Buenos Aires, Jaua said all Venezuelans need to negotiate and discuss the situation. “What has happened in Venezuela is not the outcome of social unrest, but of a strategy advanced and promoted for at least five years to topple a democratic government.”
Venezuela has witnessed violent attacks against government institutions since February 12th. Authorities say the protests have left 16 people dead and 150 others injured.
Also on Thursday, Jaua continued his trip to the capital of Uruguay, Montevideo, where he was welcomed by President José Mujica. During the meeting, the foreign minister said that Caracas will not accept international mediation in the current situation faced by Venezuela, but nevertheless thanked Uruguay's President Jose Mujica for his efforts and knowledge about what's going on in his country.
There is an coordinated international media campaign of 'half truths' and images 'out of context' which do not correspond to Venezuela, “with no dates or places mentioned; it's the big media networks that have articulated the show against President Maduro.”
He insisted that the violent nature of the conflict to which Venezuela has fallen victim is “political and not because of social unrest; the majority of Venezuelans have not participated in the protests and those who have, are political groups promoted with that only objective.” Foreign Minister Jaua blamed the United States for financing these violent groups.
The top Venezuelan diplomat is now in Brazil, where he already met at the Itamaraty Palace with the Brazilian FM, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo. He also held a press conference to expose to local media the Venezuelan opposition's scheme for a coup d'etat in the country.
