Russia, US present rival UNSC resolutions on Venezuela

Russia and the United States are trying to push through two rival resolutions at the UN Security Council to address the crisis in Venezuela.

Moscow's proposal calls for resolving the political tensions in Venezuela through “peaceful measures" based on a “political settlement” without any preconditions or outside interference, TASS reports, citing a copy of the Russian draft.

Washington instead demands that the Security Council formally calls for a new presidential election in Venezuela, urging the international community in the meantime to offer its “full support for the National Assembly as the only democratically elected institution,” Reuters reports.

The political crisis in Venezuela was sparked late last month after the leader of Venezuela’s opposition and parliament speaker, Juan Guaido, proclaimed himself interim president. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro slammed Guaido’s US-backed claim to power as an attempted coup, vowing to protect the country’s sovereignty against any possible foreign military intervention.

The elected leader has also repeatedly called on the opposition to come to the negotiating table, an invitation they continue to reject.