Russia tells U.S. that its interference in Venezuela has 'nothing to do with democracy', but agrees to bilateral talks

Sergei Lavrov.
(Image credit: Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)

In a phone call with U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov condemned the stance the U.S. has taken against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

"Destructive external influence under hypocritical pretext of humanitarian aid has nothing to do with democracy," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement about the conversation, referring to the United States' push for the international recognition of the presidency of opposition leader Juan Guaidó and the recent sanctions imposed upon Maduro's government. The statement also said that "only the Venezuelan people have the right to determine their future."

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.