EU seeking Maduro's ouster in defiance of 'democracy': Erdogan

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during his party's parliamentary group meeting at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, on February 5, 2019. PHOTO | ADEM ALTAN | AFP

What you need to know:

  • Erdogan, whose government survived a coup bid in July 2016, has given support to Maduro in the wake of the crisis and told him in a phone call to "stand tall."
  • On Tuesday, he called what happened in Venezuela as an "international coup attempt to remove the country's elected leader from power."

ANKARA,

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday accused the European Union of seeking to overthrow embattled Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in defiance of "democracy."

"On one side you will say 'democracy, democracy, democracy' and 'ballot box, ballot box, ballot box' and later you will dare to topple the government by violence and ruse," President Erdogan told his ruling party lawmakers in parliament, referring to the European Union.

Major European powers including Britain, France, Germany and Spain on Monday recognised opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president until new elections are held after Mr Maduro rejected a European ultimatum to call fresh polls.

The United States welcomed the recognition, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging others to follow suit.

"STAND TALL"

Mr Erdogan, whose government survived a coup bid in July 2016, has given support to Mr Maduro in the wake of the crisis and told him in a phone call to "stand tall."

But Turkish backing for Mr Maduro has drawn the ire of the United States, and a senior US official said last week that Washington was "disappointed" with Ankara's move.

On Tuesday, President Erdogan called what happened in Venezuela as an "international coup attempt to remove the country's elected leader from power."

He said: "Is Venezuela one of your states?", in a veiled reference to the United States.

"How dare you tell an elected person to leave and deliver the head of state to the one who did not even run in the elections," he added.

"Where is democracy? ... Is it possible for us to accept that?"