Colombia Condemns Venezuelan Actions Against Guaido's Family

BUENOS AIRES (Sputnik) – The Colombian government condemns alleged intimidation of the family of Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president, Juan Guaido, by the Venezuelan law enforcement amid the continuing political crisis in the country, Colombian Foreign Minister Carlos Holmes Trujillo said.

"The government of Colombia decisively condemns the intimidation of Juan Guaido’s family and calls on the international democratic community to support the transition process headed by the new president of Venezuela, as well as holding the new election," Trujillo wrote on Twitter on Thursday.

On Thursday, Guaido said his family had been purportedly threatened and the Venezuelan national police's special action force FAES had visited his house. The politician insisted that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro had been responsible for the safety of his daughter, who was inside the house during the visit of the law enforcement.

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Colombia, a member of the Lima group, is among the countries which have supported Guaido as he proclaimed himself Venezuela’s interim president on 23 January.The United States and several allies have instantly recognized Guaido.

Maduro as the constitutionally elected President has slammed this move, accussing Washington of orchestrating a coup in the country. . He has been supported by Russia, China, Mexico, Iran and Turkey among the other countries, that have recognized Maduro as Venezuela’s only legitimate president.

Some of the EU countries, including the UK, Germany, France, and Spain declared on Saturday their intention to recognise Juan Guaido as the Venezuela's interim president if Caracas does not announce snap presidential elections within eight days.        

READ MORE: International Tensions May Put Extra Damper on Investing in Venezuela — Scholars

Maduro has repeatedly accused Bogota of plotting the state coup. On Wednesday, the incumbent Venezuelan president suggested in an interview with Sputnik that his US counterpart Donald Trump had hired Colombian assassins to kill him.

Moreover, Maduro has stressed that a group of Venezuelan servicemen who had defected to Colombia "are plotting to split the Colombian armed forces" for preparation of the possible military invasion of Venezuela, the option that has been rumored by the US-based media outlets.

READ MORE: US to Boost Pressure on Venezuela, Cuba to Curb Russia, China in Region – Report

On Monday, during a press briefing at the White House, US National Security Adviser John Bolton was spotted holding a notepad that read: "5,000 troops to Colombia". The controversial photographs with senior US official have prompted an instant media speculations and suggestions that the Trump administration was plotting the deployment of the US military forces to Bogota.

However, Acting US Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan told reporters on Tuesday that he has not discussed with John Bolton any plan to deploy US troops to Colombia amid the current political crisis in Venezuela.