Venezuelan Opposition Envoy Meets DoD, State Dept Officials in DC

Carlos Vecchio, Venezuelan self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido's envoy to the US, tweeted that talks held at the US State Department were "very positive".

"We continue to advance", Vecchio said, but offered no further details.

Cumpliendo con el mandato del Presidente @jguaido anunciamos que ya fue realizada la reunión pautada para hoy junto al Departamento de Estado y el Pentágono de los EEUU para discutir todos los aspectos de la crisis de Vzla. Muy positivo. Seguimos avanzando.

— CARLOS VECCHIO (@carlosvecchio) 20 мая 2019 г.

Vecchio said in a letter dated 11 May that Guaido had formally requested the support of US military forces in the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in the South American country.

The situation in Venezuela has been tense since January after opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself an interim president. Washington and its allies endorsed Guaido and called on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

READ MORE: Venezuela Oil Output in April Drops to 16-Year Low — US Energy Department

Russia, China, Turkey and numerous other countries have said they will only recognize President Nicolas Maduro as the legitimate head of state in Venezuela.

Maduro has called Guaido a US puppet and accused Washington of orchestrating a coup in Venezuela to effect a forced change of government and claim the country’s resources.

Washington has attempted to shut down Venezuela's oil trade as a means of to forcing Maduro out of office, according to reports.

US sanctions on Venezuela have caused the deaths of at least 40,000 people in the country since August 2017, according to a recent study co-authored by award-winning Columbia University economist Jeffrey Sachs.

READ MORE: Venezuela’s Guaido Claims Rumoured SECRET Meeting With Maduro's Reps Not Talks