CRACKS showed in the US-led front against Venezuela at the weekend as Caracas sought to win over Mexico and Panama.

The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said on Saturday that President Nicolas Maduro had spoken to his Mexican and Panamanian counterparts Enrique Pena Nieto and Juan Carlos Varela, who offered solidarity and support.

A statement last week by 14 Organisation of American States (OAS) members, including the US and Panama, had echoed the demands of Venezuela’s Democratic Unity Roundtable (Mud) opposition in calling for early presidential elections and the release of “political prisoners” — chiefly far-right Popular Will (VP) leader Leopoldo Lopez.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the declaration, accompanied by statements from the US State Department, was evidence that Washington had been behind a year of OAS attacks on her country.

The Foreign Ministry said Mr Maduro alerted his counterparts to the “flagrant violation” of OAS rules and international law in the call to set up a permanent council on Venezuela without his government’s consent.

And he slammed the “illicit and unbalanced” actions of OAS secretary-general Luis Almagro, who he said had exceeded his authority in aiding the “anti-democratic and extremist” forces in his country.

Mr Maduro reiterated Venezuela’s solidarity with Mexico against US President Donald Trump’s anti-immigration policy.

Mr Pena Nieto in turn expressed his “solidarity” with Venezuela and his “regard for its people.”

Mr Varela expressed “absolute backing” for the dialogue between Mr Maduro’s United Socialist Party (PSUV) government and the Mud.

The opposition has boycotted the talks mediated by the regional bloc Unasur, three former leaders of Panama, the Dominican Republic and Spain and the Vatican since January, despite the government releasing several VP militants held on suspicion of terrorism as a a goodwill gesture.

On Friday, Mr Maduro said that he was seeking United Nations aid in resolving the shortage of medical supplies caused by the US-led economic war on his country.

“I’ve asked for support from the UN to help treat economic and social injuries that have hit our people caused by the economic war and the sharp fall in petroleum prices,” he said in a televised appearance.