The Nepal Communist Party has criticized the US and its allies’ intervention in the internal affairs of Venezuela, saying that the act is intended to “increase violence by dividing the people and challenging democracy, sovereignty and peace.”

The ruling Nepal Communist Party issued a statement on Friday bearing recognition to democratically elected constitutional President Nicolas Maduro.

“The self-declaration of Juan Guaido, as the acting president of Venezuela and immediate recognition of him by US and other regional states, clearly shows the grand design going on against the legitimately elected President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro and Venezuelan People,” said NCP Co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal in the statement.

The Nepal Communist Partyhas termed the foreign intervention in Venezuela as ‘unacceptable intrusion’ in internal affairs and an attempt of ‘imperialist coup’. “US has been trying to create chaos and violence putting inhuman economic sanctions and threatening military intervention in Venezuela since last decade,” read the statement, further stating that it is a ‘serious challenge to the UN Charter and Principle of peaceful co-existence’.

The NCP has called on the US and other countries to respect the principle of non-interference, national sovereignty and peaceful co-existence.

Just two weeks after President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela was sworn in for a second term, an opposition leader, Juan Guaidó, declared himself as the interim president on January 23, directly challenging the country’s leadership.

The opposition leader Guaido was cheered on by thousands of supporters,and countries including United States, Canada and many Latin American countries quickly recognised him as the legitimate head of state, as he stood in the streets of the capital on Wednesday and declared himself the legitimate president.