MEXICO CITY/CARACAS: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s first tour of Latin America got off to a rocky start on Friday with US ally Mexico distancing itself from his suggestion that Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro could be toppled by his own military. Tillerson ruffled feathers across the region on the eve of his five-nation tour with comments in Texas defending 19th century US foreign policy in Latin America and suggesting the Venezuelan army could manage “a peaceful transition” from Maduro.

Both Maduro and his defence minister condemned the comments on Friday, and even Mexico, no friend of the Venezuelan government, was at pains to say it did not support any non-peaceful solution in the South American country that is engulfed in a political and economic crisis.

“Mexico, in no case, would back any option that implies the use of violence, internal or external, to resolve the case of Venezuela,” Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Videgaray said at a news conference, flanked by Tillerson and Canadian counterpart Chrystia Freeland. “It will have to be the Venezuelans themselves who find a peaceful route, a peaceful solution to this crisis,” he said.

Tillerson, in Mexico on the first leg of a trip that will also take in Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Jamaica, did not repeat his comments about military action, but reiterated a call for Maduro to reinstate a legislative assembly and hold free and fair elections. In Venezuela, Defence Minister Vladimir Padrino accused Washington of seeking to undermine democracy in Latin America and return to the days of “imperialism,” lashing out at Tillerson during a broadcast on state television.

Padrino said Tillerson’s Latin American tour was aimed at fomenting a regional “intervention” against Venezuela’s socialist government. “The armed forces radically reject such deplorable remarks that constitute a vile act of interference,” he said, flanked by military top brass, before reading a formal statement of support for Maduro. At a political rally later in the day, Maduro said he would not be bowed by Tillerson’s comments. “We will not give in. They don’t know what we are made of,” Maduro said.

US- Mexico ties

Tillerson insisted on Friday the US and Mexico are bolstering cooperation in the fight against drug trafficking, brushing aside concerns about the impact of Trump’s anti-Mexican barbs.

Agencies