Russia and China vetoed a U.S. resolution asking the United Nations Security Council to push for democratic elections and humanitarian aid access in Venezuela, according to Reuters.
The resolution garnered the nine necessary votes to pass, forcing Russia and China to use vetoes to block it. The Security Council’s five permanent members, China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the U.S., all have the power to veto resolutions.
Russian and Chinese officials expressed concern that the resolution could lead to unjust intervention into Venezuela’s affairs. “We are seriously concerned about the fact that today’s meeting may be exploited as a step for preparations of a real, not humanitarian, intervention … as a result of the alleged inability of the Security Council to resolve the situation in Venezuela,” Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vassily Nebenzia said.
“The Venezuelan affairs should be decided by the Venezuelan people,” Deputy Chinese Ambassador to the U.N. Wu Haitao reportedly said. Venezuela has been undergoing political upheaval in recent weeks.
The country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, has been accused of human rights violations, and deadly protests have sprung up in the country, particularly as Maduro has tried to block humanitarian aid from entering the country. Opposition leader Juan Guaidó named himself Venezuela’s interim president last month and his leadership has been recognized by President Trump and leaders of several European countries.
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