'Aim is to oust Venezuelan government through force'

By Diyar Guldogan

ANKARA (AA) - Forces are aiming to overthrow Venezuela's government by force, Venezuelan Ambassador to Turkey Jose Gregorio Bracho Reyes said on Friday.

"We know that the fundamental aim of the events now happening in Venezuela is to overthrow [President Nicolas] Maduro's government by using force and to destabilize the country," Reyes told reporters in the Turkish capital Ankara.

Reyes said there is only one president in Venezuela right now, namely Maduro.

Tensions escalated this week in Venezuela after Juan Guaido, the leader of Venezuela’s opposition-led National Assembly, declared himself interim president, directly challenging Maduro's authority.

On Wednesday, the U.S. recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president, escalating the ongoing feud between Washington and Maduro.

"A man declares himself a president while disregarding the Constitution. This is the worst part of clowning. The countries that are underneath the U.S. trail this clown coat," Reyes said.

He added that Venezuela will not ignore a military intervention from local proxies of the U.S.

"But we hope that this would never happen. A spark lit in Venezuela would spread over all Latin America," the ambassador said.

Reyes added that Venezuela favors peace and dialogue.