Russia says election of new parliament leader in Venezuela was democratic

Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday the election of a new parliament leader in Venezuela as a result of a democratic procedure.

Venezuela's socialist government installed a new head of Congress on Sunday after armed troops blocked opposition legislators from entering parliament, in a move condemned by dozens of nations as an assault on democracy.

"We consider the election of the new leadership of parliament to be the result of a legitimate democratic procedure conducive to the return of the Venezuelan political struggle to the constitutional field," the Russian ministry said.