Venezuelan Army Should Support Guaido To End Violence, Persecution - Colombian President

The Venezuelan military should support the country's opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido in order to end the phase of political persecution in Venezuela, Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez told the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council on Friday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 15th February, 2019) The Venezuelan military should support the country's opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim President Juan Guaido in order to end the phase of political persecution in Venezuela, Colombian President Ivan Duque Marquez told the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council on Friday.

"We have to clearly invite the members of the military forces of Venezuela to support the National Assembly and President Guaido, giving them the guarantees, so that the Venezuelan people will be allowed to speak candidly, so as to soon bring to an end this terrible phase of violence and political persecution," Duque said.

Duque highlighted the need to have a diplomatic group that would promote the National Assembly's validity to protect the Venezuelan people.

On Thursday, Duque announced that the Lima Group would hold a meeting next week in Bogota to discuss the situation in Venezuela.

The Lima Group of countries was created in 2017 and seeks to end the crisis in Venezuela. The group includes Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.

On February 4, the Lima Group met in Ottawa, Canada, where it recognized Guaido as Venezuela's interim president and accepted him as a member of the bloc.

Guaido proclaimed himself interim president on January 23 after the opposition-controlled National Assembly proclaimed that incumbent Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has usurped power.

Maduro has called Guaido a puppet of the United States and has informed Washington of his decision to sever diplomatic ties. However, the United States has refused to withdraw its diplomatic personnel from Venezuela.

The Venezuelan military has reiterated its loyalty to President Maduro despite the opposition's calls to switch allegiance.