(Agence France Presse) Russia on Friday called for Guyana and Venezuela to reach a “peaceful solution” to their border dispute, as tensions between the two South American countries continue to escalate.
Venezuela held a referendum that passed last Sunday to stake its claim to a large region of land recognised internationally as part of Guyana, prompting fears of a military escalation.
“We consider it a priority to reduce tension and build confidence in relations between Venezuela and Guyana,” Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said in a statement.
“We call on the parties to refrain from any actions that could unbalance the situation and cause mutual harm,” she said.
Venezuela, an oil-rich nation led by longtime President Nicolas Maduro, maintains close ties with Russia and has criticised the West for sanctioning Moscow over its Ukraine offensive.
