Attempts to Repeat 'Colour Revolutions' in Latin America Could Escalate Tensions - Lavrov

In early November, Bolivia's then-president Evo Morales stepped down and fled to Mexico after his re-election to a fourth term prompted protests. Besides Bolivia, another Latin American country, Venezuela, has been struck by mass protests since January following the inauguration of President Nicolas Maduro.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov slammed on Friday attempts to repeat "colour revolutions" in Latin American countries as the could escalate tensions in the region.

"As for the current situation in Latin America and the Caribbean, we have noted the development of complex and sometimes highly multidirectional and contradictory political and socio-economic processes. We agree that the attempts that are undertaken in this area to repeat the scenario of the infamous colour revolutions can cause a dangerous increase in regional tensions, and of course, this is not in the interest of strengthening Latin America's position as a single centre of an emerging multipolar world," Lavrov said after talks with Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada.

Russia believes that it is up to the Nicaraguan people to decide its fate and opposes any attempt to impose some external development strategies on the African nation, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Friday.

"Russia firmly believes that the Nicaraguan people must decide its own destiny, and we do not accept attempts to impose development 'recipes' on Nicaragua, just like on any other country, that are alien to its choice," Lavrov said after talks with Nicaraguan Foreign Minister Denis Moncada.

The term “colour revolution” is widely used to describe the Western-backed regime changes which took place in some countries of the former Soviet Union and the Balkans during the 2000s, including Ukraine's 'Orange revolution', Georgia's 'Rose revolution', Serbia's 'Bulldozer revolution' and Kyrgyzstan's 'Tulip revolution'.