Caracas, March 15 (RHC-AVN) -- Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro expressed gratitude to the government of Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos for renewing its call for respect for Venezuela's democracy.

At a press conference Friday with national and international media, Maduro said: "I welcome all the good will of President Santos, and I thank the Colombian government for all the support they gave us in the OAS and Unasur. President Santos is one of the presidents who really defends us the most along with other presidents of South America and Latin America,"

In a recent interview published in Colombian media, president Santos backed defense of democratic principles in Venezuela as well as respect for the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of nations.

He also thanked the support of Venezuela in the ongoing peace talks between the Colombian government and FARC rebels.

Maduro also said that the right-wing has tried since last February to carry out a coup d'etat against Venezuela's democracy and the Bolivarian Revolution.

"It's a coup against the Bolivarian Revolution and what it means," Maduro said.