'Turkey will continue to support Venezuela'

By Zehra Nur Duz

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey’s foreign minister on Monday reiterated Turkish support for the country of Venezuela and its elected leadership.

“Turkey will continue to support Venezuela, as problems there could affect all of Latin America and even the Caribbean,” Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint news conference alongside his Venezuelan counterpart Jorge Arreaza in Ankara, Turkey's capital.

Arreaza said that Turkey has showed an exemplary friendship to Venezuela during a difficult time.

On the outcome of Sunday’s local elections in Turkey, Cavusoglu said: “Turkish people voted for the country's survival and stability.”

The ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party “won the election by a landslide,” he added.

The AK Party led the local elections, capturing 15 metropolitan municipalities (larger cities) and 24 cities with 44.42 percent of voters on Sunday, beating the 30.07 percent draw of the main opposition.

Cavusoglu also announced that he will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and National Security Advisor John Bolton during his visit to Washington on Thursday.

Venezuela has been rocked by protests since Jan. 10, when Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote boycotted by the opposition.

Tensions flared when opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself acting president on Jan. 23 -- a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

Turkey, Russia, China, Iran, Bolivia and Mexico have put their weight behind Maduro.