Turkey's Erdogan suspends South America visit

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan suspended his official visit to Brazil, Uruguay and Venezuela scheduled for early February, Agencia Prensa Armenia reports.

The government of Turkey planned a tour of South America after meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican on February 5. In recent days, many newspapers reported the dissatisfaction of the Armenian community in Uruguay and possible demonstrations against the visit of the Turkish leader. According to Uruguayan sources, several agents of the Turkish government traveled this week to organize the security of the president.

The Armenian National Committee of Uruguay explained that "the negotiations prior to this eventual visit showed that Uruguay continues to be a key objective of the negationist apparatus of the Republic of Turkey due to the Uruguayan State policy of recognition and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide."

The suspension of the trip also occurs in the framework of a major military operation launched against the Kurds of Syria in Afrin on January 20.