EU Unlikely to Support Military Intervention in Venezuela - Ambassador

BRUSSELS (Sputnik) - Venezuela does not expect the European Union to support a US-led military intervention in the Latin American country, the ambassador of Venezuela to Belgium and the European Union told Sputnik on Wednesday.

"They [the European Union] already said that they were against it [military intervention in Venezuela]. They said it during the second contact group and they were strong about it… They were not in favor or considering that war [with Venezuela] would help at all," Claudia Salerno Caldera said.

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Her remark comes after on Tuesday, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who had illegally proclaimed himself president of the country, called on Venezuela's civilians and the military to act against the government. Violent clashes between pro-Guaido protesters and the government's security forces ensued.

Large-scale protests against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro began in Venezuela on 21 January soon after he was sworn in for a new term. Guaido proclaimed himself an interim leader of the country.

A number of Western countries, including the United States, backed his claim. Maduro, in turn, has accused the United States of trying to orchestrate a coup in order to install Guaido as its puppet. Russia, China, and a number of other countries have voiced their support for Maduro as the only legitimate president of Venezuela.