UPDATE - Coups, military intervention not the answer: Turkey

ADDS REMARKS FROM TURKISH, PARAGUAYAN FOREIGN MINISTERS

By Faruk Zorlu

ANKARA (AA) - The crisis in Venezuela can be solved through talking and working together, not sending in troops or overthrowing the government, Turkey's foreign minister said on Thursday.

"Turkey is opposed to military intervention and coups. Problems can be solved through dialogue and cooperation," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a joint news conference with his Paraguayan counterpart Luis Alberto Castiglioni in Turkey's capital Ankara.

Also touching on Monday’s phone call between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump, he said they discussed a range of issues in a positive atmosphere.

Trump wants to visit Turkey this summer, following his June trip to Europe, Cavusoglu added.

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

Tensions escalated when Juan Guaido, who heads Venezuela’s National Assembly, declared himself acting president, a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

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

This Tuesday Guaido posted a video on social media calling for an uprising to end the "usurpation" of Maduro.

Erdogan denounced the move, saying: "We, as a country which has experienced coups and their negative consequences, condemn the coup bid in Venezuela."

- Strengthening Turkish-Paraguayan relations

Speaking alongside Castiglioni, Cavusoglu said Turkey and Paraguay will work to boost investments and mutual trade as well as develop political and cultural ties.

For his part, Castiglioni said that Paraguay is an important platform in Latin America for Turkey, adding his visit will pave the way for future visits to make progress in legal, economic, and trade ties.

*Writing by Beyza Binnur Donmez and Faruk Zorlu