EXCLUSIVE-Brazil says Russian troops should leave Venezuela if propping up Maduro

The Russian troops sent to Venezuela should leave if their purpose is to maintain the country's leftist government in power, Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo said on Thursday.

In an interview with Reuters, Araujo said he hoped Russia would recognize that propping up President Nicolas Maduro would only deepen the collapse of Venezuela's economy and society, and that the only way out of the crisis was to hold elections under an interim government led by opposition leader Juan Guaido. (Reporting by Anthony Boadle, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)