Erdogan says impossible for Turkey to approve developments in Venezuela

It is impossible for Turkey to approve of the developments in Venezuela, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday, adding that he believed the people of Venezuela would continue to support President Nicolas Maduro.

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself interim leader on Wednesday, winning the support of Washington and parts of Latin America. That prompted socialist Maduro, who has led the oil-rich nation since 2013, to sever diplomatic ties with the United States.

Speaking at a joint news conference with his Maltese counterpart in Ankara, Erdogan said he found U.S. President Donald Trump's comments on Venezuela shocking and added that democracies needed to respect election results. (Reporting by Ece Toksabay; Writing by Tuvan Gumrukcu)