Alwaght- Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro on Monday blasted a plot by the topUnited States spy agency, to overthrow his government in collaboration with neighboring Mexico and Colombia.
Maduro has also demanded the governments of Colombia and Mexico respond to allegations that they are working with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to overthrow the Venezuelan government.
In a televised interview, Maduro said, “The director of the CIA has said, ‘The CIA and the U.S. government work in direct collaboration with the Mexican government and the Colombian government to overthrow the constitutional government in Venezuela and to intervene in our beloved Venezuela.’"
“I demand the government of Mexico and the government of Colombia to properly clarify the declarations from the CIA and I will make political and diplomatic decisions accordingly before this audacity,” he added.
The comments come after CIA Director Mike Pompeo confirmed the United States is advising Mexico and Colombia on developments in Venezuela.
In an interview with Vanessa Neumann, president of business intelligence firm Asymmetrica, Pompeo said, "We are very hopeful that there can be a transition in Venezuela and we in the CIA are doing our best to understand the dynamic there."
“America has a deep interest in making sure that (Venezuela) is stable, as democratic as possible ... The Colombians, I was just down in Mexico City and in Bogota a week before last talking about this very issue trying to help them understand the things they might do so that they can get a better outcome for their part of the world and our part of the world,” he added.
Following the statements, Maduro accused the Colombian and Mexican government of colluding with the United States to protect their oil interests.
The Mexican government has denied the allegations. In a press statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, "Mexico is a country that respects international law and does not work with any other country to the detriment of another."
The Venezuelan government has come under increased national pressure ahead of elections for the National Constituent Assembly on July 30.
President Trump has threatened economic sanctions against Venezuela if it goes ahead with the elections, a call which has been supported by Luis Almagro, the head of the Organization of American States.
President Maduro however, has insisted that the National Constituent Assembly is the only solution to the political crisis in Venezuela.
