WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo pressed Sunday for Russia to get out of Venezuela, while his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov, called on Washington to "abandon its irresponsible plans" in the crisis-wracked country. The top level contacts follow the failure of a US-backed uprising this week aimed at ousting Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro, which Pompeo has blamed on Russia. "The Russians must get out," Pompeo said in an interview Sunday with ABC's "This Week." It's very clear, we want the Russians out, we want the Iranians out, we want the Cubans out. - 'Bumpy roads' -Washington has given full-throated backing to opposition leader Juan Guaido, who tried but ultimately failed to ignite a military uprising against Maduro on April 30.

Source: Bangkok Post May 05, 2019 17:15 UTC