UPDATE - Turkey never sides with coup plotters: President Erdogan

By Barıs Kilic

UPDATES WITH MORE QUOTES FROM TURKISH PRESIDENT

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey is against coup attempts anywhere in the world, said President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday.

"We were never side by side with the coup plotters and we never will be. We stand against them wherever they are across the world,” Erdogan told a rally introducing mayoral candidates of ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party for the eastern Erzurum province.

The president recalled the coup against Mohamed Morsi, Egypt's first democratically-elected president. "We stood against those who organized a coup against Morsi. I haven't spoken to coup plotters once since that day."

"Now, there is a coup attempt in Venezuela, which we oppose once again. No matter where it happens, we will never side with the coup plotters. If we believe in and support democracy, then respecting ballot boxes is what we need."

Erdogan on Thursday voiced solidarity with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a day after the U.S. recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the interim leader of Venezuela.

On Wednesday, Guaido declared himself interim president and called for mass anti-government protests that have filled city streets across the country.

Guaido's declaration was recognized by the U.S. shortly after it was made and also backed by Canada and several Latin American nations.

Maduro has accused the opposition of seeking to stage a coup with support of the U.S. administration.

Erdogan last week said that Maduro was among the first world leaders to support Turkey in the wake of the coup attempt on July 15, 2016.

The coup, orchestrated by the Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO), left 251 people martyred and nearly 2,200 injured.