New Delhi: The Venezuela-United States war of words has now reached Indian shores in the wake of alarming indications that the conflict-ridden South American country may be heading for a civil war.
Lashing out at the United States, Venezuelan ambassador to India Augusto Montiel on Thursday accused it of trying to destabilise his country on the lines of what it did in Iraq.
He also hinted that if President Nicolas Maduro was toppled, Western multinational companies would see to it that petroleum from the oil-rich country would stop flowing to India.
Currently, he said, Venezuela is the fourth-largest supplier of oil to India.
The ambassador conceded his country was facing tremendous economic problems on account of the low global prices of oil.
In a show of solidarity, top diplomats of Cuba, Equador, Bolivia and El Salvador in New Delhi backed Venezuela.
Referring to the large flow of oil from Venezuela to India, the ambassador said President Maduro was totally supportive of it, with oil reserves being under government control.
But he cautioned that if the President was toppled, the oil reserves could come under the control of powerful foreign companies who may cut the oil supply to India.
