Morales Wonders Why US Seeks Dialogue With North Korea But Not Venezuela

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Bolivian President Evo Morales expressed on Wednesday his bewilderment with Washington's foreign policy, wondering why the United States was seeking dialogue and peace with North Korea while not showing the same enthusiasm in trying to overcome differences with Venezuela.

"Despite major differences and the threat of war, the United States is now seeking dialogue and peace with North Korea. Why does not it express a similar desire regarding Venezuela? Latin America is a zone of peace, and the peoples' self-determination is a guarantee of social justice, democracy and sovereignty," Morales posted on Twitter.

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Morales' remarks came amid the ongoing second denuclearization summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

Commenting on Caracas' offer for US President Donald Trump to meet Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro, US Permanent Representative to the Conference on Disarmament Robert Wood, said that the United States recognized self-proclaimed "interim president" Juan Guaido as Venezuela's legitimate leader.

"President Trump is prepared to meet with the rightful president of Venezuela, and that is Juan Guaido," Wood told reporters when asked about the invitation.

Earlier in the day, Venezuela’s Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza suggested at the UN Human Rights Council session that Maduro and Trump should meet to discuss their differences over a political crisis in Latin American country.

Venezuela is currently going through a political crisis. On January 5, lawmaker Juan Guaido was elected as the president of the opposition-controlled National Assembly, which all other government branches have been refusing to recognize since 2016. On January 23, two days after the Venezuelan Supreme Court annulled his election, Guaido declared himself the country's "interim president." Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn in for his second presidential term on January 10 after winning the May election, which part of the opposition boycotted, qualified Guaido's move as an attempt to stage a coup orchestrated by Washington. He has even said that Guaido, currently residing in Colombia, must face trial upon his return to Venezuela.

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The United States immediately recognized Guaido, after which around 50 other countries followed suit. Bolivia along with Russia, China, Cuba and a number of other states have, in the meantime, voiced their support for the legitimate government of Maduro. Mexico and Uruguay have refused to recognize Guaido, but have instead declared themselves neutral and are now advocating crisis settlement via dialogue.