EU Rules Out Military Intervention in Venezuela

By Staff, Agencies

Military intervention is not an option to resolve Venezuela's humanitarian and political crisis, European Union Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini said Tuesday.

Mogherini said that while tensions have been "escalating dramatically" in the country, the solution to the crisis must be political "as well as peaceful and democratic".

"No military interventions from inside or outside of the country would be acceptable for us. And a solution cannot be, and should not be, imposed from the outside," she said at the UN's New York headquarters.

However, US President Donald Trump and his senior-most officials have refused to rule out the use of military force to end the crisis and have insisted that all options remain on the table.

The majority of EU nations, the US and dozens of other states have recognized Venezuela's National Assembly president Juan Guaido as the country's so-called leader after he declared himself interim president on Jan. 23.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, however, has adamantly resisted calls from Guaido and his supporters to cede power, insisting he is the victim of a US-orchestrated coup.