Colombia's Duque calls for coordinated sanctions on Venezuela

Colombian President Ivan Duque called on Saturday for coordinated international sanctions targeting Venezuela to help stop President Nicolas Maduro's support for Colombian rebels and drug traffickers from destabilizing Latin America. Colombia stands ready to confront any attack by former members of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels, Duque said. Maduro accuses Colombia of preparing to attack Venezuela, and has repeatedly warned of an invasion coordinated with the U.S. government. Colombia is among the countries which back opposition leader Juan Guaido as Venezuela's rightful leader.

Latin American countries could invoke the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance against Maduro, Duque said. The treaty considers an attack on any of the signatories to be an attack on them all. Washington has expressed hope that European nations will also impose sanctions in the coming months.