Kremlin spokesman refutes allegations about Russia’s help in ensuring Maduro’s protection

Russian president’s press secretary Dmitry Peskov has refuted media allegations that Russian nationals were sent to guarantee protection to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

"No, of course, not," he said when asked to comment on corresponding reports. "Fear has magnifying eyes."

On January 23, Venezuelan parliament speaker and opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital of Caracas. Several countries, including the United States, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Paraguay, have recognized him. Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in turn, blasted the move as a coup staged by Washington and said he was severing diplomatic ties with the US.

Russia, Bolivia, Iran, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Turkey voiced support for Maduro, while China and Belarus called for resolving all differences peacefully and warned against foreign interference. The United Nations secretary general, in turn, called for dialogue to resolve the crisis.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, French President Emmanuel Macron, German government spokeswoman Martina Fitz, UK Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jeremy Hunt and Dutch Foreign Minister Stef Blok said on Saturday that their countries will recognize Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president in case Maduro doesn’t announce elections within eight days.