US authorities have not approached the Mexican government with a proposal that Mexico could grant asylum to Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard said.

“We have not received any suggestions that we could grant asylum [to Maduro]. To be honest, I am not aware of such plans. Mexico believes that it is necessary to engage in dialogue, to communicate and to move on toward such a solution that would prevent a big humanitarian crisis in Venezuela”, Ebrard told reporters in Mexico City.

The minister emphasized that the Mexican authorities have been continuously expressing their concerns to Caracas over human rights violations in Venezuela.

Media reports suggesting that Mexico could offer asylum to Maduro emerged after US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said last week that the United States, which backs Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, was in contact with Mexico about Maduro’s future.

Mexico has repeatedly stressed that it has no intention of meddling in the internal affairs of Venezuela. While the country is part of the Lima Group, which firmly opposes Maduro, it has not signed the latest statements by the Lima Group criticizing the official Venezuelan government. The Mexican Foreign Ministry said in January that it still recognized Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela.

Source: Sputnik