Turkey against foreign intervention in Venezuela

By Rabia Iclal Turan

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is against foreign intervention to overthrow legitimate governments and constitutional regimes, including in Venezuela, Turkey affirmed on Monday.

“Turkey’s relations with Venezuela are based on principles of non-intervention in internal affairs, respect for sovereign rights of states, popular will and democracy as well as mutual interests,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy in a statement.

He urged all parties to support political dialogue in Venezuela.

“It is very important that all parties that are willing to find a durable solution to the current disagreements in Venezuela continue to support the political dialogue process. These efforts should not be wasted for the sake of internal political discussions and daily interests,” he said.

A change in Turkey’s principled position in Venezuela is out of the question, the statement said, and added: “The decisions taken by the private sector and institutions, especially due to the comprehensive unilateral sanctions imposed on Venezuela by the U.S., are independent from the official bilateral relations between Turkey and Venezuela.”

Political unrest in Venezuela spiked in January when opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaimed himself the rightful president, dismissing Nicolas Maduro’s 2018 re-election as a fraud, a move recognized by more than 50 countries, including the U.S.

But Russia, China, and Iran have thrown their weight behind Maduro, as has Turkey.