Credit: UN Photo/Mark Garten /  U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres (right) meets with Jorge Alberto Arreaza, Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Feb. 11, 2019 at the world body’s headquarters in New York.

By Gary Raynaldo     DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The regime of Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro has the ‘ear’ of the United Nations amid the deepening political and humanitarian crisis in the Latin  American country. The U.N. has spurned the United States request, or some would say demand, that the world body  only deal with self-proclaimed Venezuela president  Juan Guaidó.  Venezuela Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza met with U.N. Secretary General António Guterres at his residence in the swank Sutton Place section of mid-Manhattan Monday evening. The Latin American country has been in a whirlpool of political crisis ever since opposition leader Guaidó declared himself interim president on January 23, 2019 in a bid to oust President Maduro. The Trump administration promptly announced it recognized  Guaidó as new interim president of Venezuela. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told nations at a U.N. Security Council meeting last month to “pick a side” on Venezuela after Washington recognised Guaidó as the nation’s head of state but also urged countries to disconnect financially from Maduro’s government.  Pompeo said: “Either you stand with the forces of freedom, or you’re in league with Maduro and his mayhem.”   However, the U.N. Secretary General has been hospitable to Maduro’s diplomatic representatives. Just last night, Guterres hosted Arreaza for a sit down meeting at his elegant Sutton Place mansion. 

Source: telesurtv.com / Arreaza said it was the second reception this year with U.N. Secretary General Guterres,

Foreign Minister Arreaza Accuses U.S. Of Formulating  Coup Against Maduro Government 

Arreaza made it clear speaking before the international press at a briefing at U.N. headquarters Tuesday Feb. 12, 2019 that the Maduro regime wants deeper cooperation with the world body.

” We talked  about deepening cooperation between U.N. and Venezuela in those areas of the economy where it was very impacted by this international assault or aggression led by Washington. The goal is to raise or cooperation to a new level with United Nations agencies.”   

Arreaza  also said he had meetings earlier in the morning with member of the Non-Aligned Movement.  “We came from extraordinary meeting with the coordinator bureau of the Non-Aligned Movement. At the meeting we were receiving solidarity and thoughts from dozens of countries Including  the delegation of Barbados, the delegation of Namibia referred to the  South African development countries, 14…16 countries make up that group, ” Arreaza told the press.

 “Not only did  they express solidarity with Venezuela, but also respect for International law in the house and the temple of international law and civilized law.  Respect for international law. Here we have the charter of the United Nations which underpins this.”  

Arreaza spoke on what he characterized as an attempted coup d’état by the U.S. against the Maduro regime in Venezuela.

“President  Maduro openly denounced the fact that this process of a coup d’état in Venezuela… for the first time in Latin American history we see a coup being led by openly the government in the United States. It is not like the  past where they were always in the background moving the pieces around the chess board or financing things but with a sort of amount of dissimulation, they were doing it in a more covert manner their position was much less evident. Here we see now Mr.  Trump, Mr. Pence, Mr. Bolton, Mr. Pomeo, members of Congress. All involved.  This is an opposition which is betting on a civil war, violence and  a coup d’état”

“There is no a Humanitarian crisis in Venezuela.” Arreaza declared.  “There is an economy in Venezuela that is subject to a blockade,” Arreaza said .  He blamed the imposition of sanctions on Venezuela’s banking and oil sector on the country’s hardships.   “The sanctions imposed by the U.S. have already led to immense suffering, and if it goes further  then Donald Trump  would have blood on his hands. That is why we want to avoid a coup d’état , avoid any kind of intervention in Venezuela  because it would only lead to even worse situation, a situation  akin to what happen  in Vietnam.”

The foreign minister also made it clear the  Maduro government is in favor of dialogue with the opposition.

U.S. Senator Marco Rubio  Blasts U.N. Secretary General For Meeting Maduro Foreign Minister credit /  www.rubio.senate.gov /     Sen. Mark Rubio R- Florida 

“@antonioguterres playing right into #Maduro plans. Fake @UN “negotiations” to divide opposition & buy time for protests to die down. Maduro will also want UN “experts” to blame #Venezuela crisis on sanctions. When it comes to democracy & human rights UN increasingly worthless”   

 Sen. Mark Rubio R- Florida  via twitter