US not seeks military intervention in Venezuela: Envoy

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The U.S. is not seeking a military intervention in Venezuela to solve the ongoing political and economic unrest, said U.S. envoy to the South American nation.

"What we want is not a military intervention by the international community, but rather a peaceful, political and democratic resolution based on Venezuela’s constitution,” Charge d'Affaires of Venezuela Affairs Unit James Story said Sunday.

He said there is "already an intervention" with the presence of Russian, Chinese and Cuban military officers in the country.

"... why, because they want [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro to stay there, because it is they who are receiving the milk without buying the cow, ..." Story said during an interview with Venezuelan newspaper 2001.

On Wednesday, the U.S. opened an interim diplomatic office, The Venezuela Affairs Unit, to Venezuela based in Colombia to interact with representatives aligned with the opposition leader Juan Guaido who declared himself interim president Jan. 23, sparking a standoff with Maduro that continues to persist.

Venezuela had been rocked by political and social unrest since Jan. 10 when Maduro was sworn in for a second term following a vote which was boycotted by the opposition amid a dire economic crisis.

Nearly 5,000 people leave Venezuela every day because of "instability and uncertainty," and 3 million Venezuelans have already left the country since 2015, according to the UN's refugee agency.

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

Spain, Britain, France, Sweden, Germany, Japan and Denmark joined the U.S., Canada and most Latin American countries in recognizing Guaido as Venezuela’s interim leader.

- Talks between Venezuelan gov't, opposition may resume

Contacts with Venezuelan opposition delegates have resumed, Maduro said in an interview with the Chinese state-run Xinhua News Agency on Saturday, after withdrawing his delegation from negotiation talks last month due to latest U.S. sanctions.

After imposing sweeping sanctions on Venezuela's state-owned oil firm PDVSA in January, U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order earlier this month freezing all assets in the U.S. belonging to the Venezuelan government in a significant escalation of tensions with Caracas.

"The next few days will bring good news about the dialogue," Maduro added.

Hampered by opposition from the Venezuelan army and popular challenges to his legitimacy, Guaido's delegation took part in Oslo and Barbados initiatives for talks with the government.

Although the Oslo talks in May bore no fruit, the sides have yet to make a clear statement about the content of the Barbados talks held earlier July.

- Colombia blames Maduro for FARC rearmament

Meanwhile, Venezuela's relations with neighboring Colombia has been undergoing a new phase of deterioration after the former second in command of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) announced the rebel group's rearmament in a video message last week.

Colombia's President Ivan Duque blames Maduro administration for the sudden reappearance of FARC.

Ivan Marquez, whose whereabouts have been unknown for more than a year, made a video appearance in front of 20 armed former guerrillas to announce the "beginning of the new stage of armed struggle."

"Maduro does the same as the Taliban with Al Qaeda to protect and sponsor terrorists," Duque tweeted Saturday, referring to "Venezuela welcomes former FARC leaders" statement of Maduro.

In July, Maduro praised Marquez and Jesus Santrich, saying two former leaders of FARC "are welcome in Venezuela" and called them "leaders of peace."

Duque said that it is "clear violation" of UN resolutions.

"We reiterate our firm determination to contribute to the peace of the Colombian people," Maduro tweeted for his part. "We will exhaust all efforts that will generate strategies for the resumption of talks between the parties. Achieving real peace is the way."

Colombia and FARC reached a peace deal in November 2016, ending more than 50 years of conflict between the two sides. Following the demobilization of the leftist rebel group, Marquez and Jesus Santrich joined the political arm of the FARC, which is represented in the country’s Congress.

Marquez went missing last year after his nephew was arrested for drug-trafficking, while Santrich is currently a fugitive following his failure to appear for questioning in a U.S. drug-trafficking case.