Russia, China foil draft resolution "saving Venezuela"

Russia and China vetoed the UN Security Council on Thursday, rejecting a US draft resolution calling for presidential elections in Venezuela and "unimpeded delivery of humanitarian aid" to the country.
The draft resolution was voted against by the non-permanent member of the Security Council, South Africa, while nine Council members, especially Europeans and Latin Americans, supported it.

Three countries abstained - Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast and Indonesia.

While Peruvian Ambassador Gustavo Meza-Guadra, who voted with the resolution, regretted the rejection of the draft resolution, Russian Ambassador Vasily Nibinza said it would have been an unprecedented decision to "isolate the president" of a state.

"The United States is intransigent in escalating it ... and its aim is to change the regime," he said.

Two permanent members of the Security Council rarely use the veto at the same time.