The Kremlin on Tuesday said Venezuela’s opposition must accept that it lost the presidential election, after protestors took to the streets to challenge official results that showed a victory for Nicolas Maduro.
Many other countries — including nine in Latin America — have questioned the results, while the country’s security forces fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protestors on Monday.
“We see that the opposition does not want to accept defeat. But we believe it must do so,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.
Moscow backs Maduro and President Vladimir Putin on Monday congratulated him on victory.
Peskov on Tuesday also warned other countries, that he did not name, against interfering in the country’s politics.
“It is very important, that attempts to sway the situation inside Venezuela are not fuelled by third countries and that Venezuela is free from external influence,” he said.
Moscow regularly accuses anti-government protesters at home and in its allies of being funded or whipped up by the West.
Fresh protests are expected in Venezuela on Tuesday and Maduro’s campaign team have also called for a counter-march to celebrate his claimed victory.
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