Cuba warns of possible US military intervention in Venezuela

HAVANA - The Cuban government on late Wednesday said Washington is preparing for a military intervention in Venezuela under the humanitarian pretext, and called for international efforts to avoid the scenario.

"The US intends to create a humanitarian pretext to initiate a military aggression against Venezuela and has proposed to introduce in that sovereign nation through intimidation, pressure and force, an alleged humanitarian aid," said Havana in an official government statement.

The Caribbean island state added that the United States is obviously "paving the way" for building a "humanitarian corridor" by force under the "international protection" to safeguard the civilian interests, and hence intervene in Venezuela.

In the statement, Cuba said US military aircraft had transported troops between Feb 6 and 10, involving US military bases in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and other Caribbean islands without the consent of local governments. The troop movements, it added, involved Special Forces units and Navy SEALs that are usually put into covert operations, including against leaders of other nations.

Havana also accused Washington of having been "brutally pressuring" other governments into supporting a new presidential election in Venezuela and recognizing self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido, who is the leader of National Assembly of Venezuela.

Guaido declared himself Venezuela's interim president on Jan 23, nearly two weeks after Nicolas Maduro, who won the 2018 presidential elections in the South American country, was inaugurated for a second term.

Cuba said it opposed a US-led draft resolution to be submitted to the United Nations Security Council. The document, which it said urges the international community to adopt all necessary measures to restore democracy in Venezuela, "paves the way for a military invasion."

"It's essential to remember that similar pretexts were adopted by the US to intervene in Yugoslavia, Iraq and Libya, at the price of immense losses of human life and enormous suffering," noted the statement.

In addition, Cuba in the statement voiced its support for negotiating a solution to the existing crisis in Venezuela.