Russia denies US claim on Maduro flight from Venezuela

Russia denies US claim on Maduro flight from Venezuela
# 02 May 2019 19:21 (UTC +04:00)

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Thursday forcefully denied the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s claim that Russia convinced Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to stay and fight for his job, instead of fleeing on a waiting flight for Cuba, ONA reports citing The Washington Times.

The foreign minister said Mr. Pompeo’s statement is “not true,” state-run RIA news reported.

On Tuesday, Mr. Pompeo said Mr. Maduro “had an airplane on the tarmac, he was ready to leave [Tuesday] morning as we understand it, and the Russians indicated he should stay.”

US officials for months have blasted Russia’s involvement in the ongoing Venezuelan crisis.

Officials in Moscow on Tuesday blamed Washington and the “radical opposition in Venezuela” for the unfolding violence and clashes on the streets of Caracas this week.

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