China says U.S. criticism of its role in Latin America is 'slanderous'
China on Monday condemning as “slanderous” criticism U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made of Beijing’s policies in South America, saying countries there would soon see who their “true friend” was. Pompeo on Friday, during a three-day trip to Chile, Paraguay and Peru, accused China of aiding Venezuela’s economic collapse by bankrolling President Nicolas Maduro as the country spirals into deepening political crisis. The United States is pressing Maduro to step down and urging more countries to join a coalition supporting opposition leader Juan Guaido. South America has seen a political shift in recent years towards the right, and most nations have backed Guaido. Pompeo labelled China hypocritical for calling for non-intervention in Venezuela when he said China’s own “financial interventions have helped destroy the country”.