U.S. Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday called on the UN to revoke the UN credentials of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government and recognise opposition leader, Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate leader.

He said the U.S.had drafted a UN resolution and called on all states to support it.

It was not immediately clear if Pence was proposing a resolution in the 15-member Security Council or the 193-member General Assembly.

“The time has come for the UN to recognise interim president Juan Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela and seat his representative in this body,” Pence told the UN Security Council.

Diplomats said it was unlikely Washington will get the support needed to adopt such a measure in either the Security Council or the General Assembly.

The U.S. and Russia both failed in rival bids to get the Security Council to adopt resolutions on Venezuela in February.

More than 50 countries have recognised Guaido as Venezuela’s leader.

When asked if the U.S. thought it had enough backing to oust Maduro’s government at the UN, Pence said: “I think the momentum is on the side of freedom.”

Russian UN Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia accused the U.S. of provoking an artificial crisis to oust Maduro and replace him “with their own pawn,’’ actions he described as a “lawless, thuggish violation of international law.”

“We call on the U.S. to once again recognise that the Venezuelan people and other peoples have the right to determine their own future,” Nebenzia said.

“If you want to make America great again, and we are all sincerely interested in seeing that, stop interfering in the affairs of other states.”

The UN has previously had to address competing claims for representation at the world body.

In September 2011, the General Assembly approved a Libyan request to accredit envoys of the country’s interim government as Tripoli’s sole representatives at the world body, effectively recognising the National Transitional Council.

The move came after the U.S., Russia, China and European nations had all recognised that council.

The U.S. called Wednesday’s meeting of the Security Council to discuss the humanitarian situation in Venezuela. UN Aid Chief, Mark Lowcock, told the council that there is a “very real humanitarian problem” in the country.

“ The scale of need is significant and growing. The UN is working in Venezuela to expand the provision of humanitarian assistance,” Lowcock said.

“We can do more to relieve the suffering of the people of Venezuela, if we get more help and support from all stakeholders.”

He briefed the council on a recent UN report on the situation that estimates about a quarter of Venezuelans are in need of humanitarian assistance, and painted a dire picture of millions of people lacking food and basic services.

Some 3.4 million Venezuelans have left the country and the UN predicts that will rise to some five million by the end of the year.

In February, Venezuelan troops blocked U.S.-backed aid convoys entering from Colombia and Brazil.

Maduro has said there is no crisis and blames U.S. sanction for the country’s economic problems. Maduro has accepted aid from ally Russia.

“In Venezuela, there is a need to separate political and humanitarian objectives. Humanitarian assistance must be delivered on the basis of need alone,” Lowcock said.

“We seek the council’s support to safeguard the neutral and impartial nature of humanitarian action.” (Reuters/NAN)

– Apr. 10, 2019 @ 18:59 GMT |