Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro greets during an event with Venezuelan athletes who have participated in international tournaments, in Caracas, Venezuela June 4, 2019. Miraflores Palace/Handout via REUTERS

GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) - The Lima Group regional bloc on Thursday rejected Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s call on May 20 for early elections for the National Assembly, which is run by the opposition.

In a statement, the 12-nation Lima Group emphasized the importance of deepening contacts with countries that support Maduro’s government, particularly Russia, China, Cuba and Turkey, urging them to be part of the solution to Venezuela’s crisis.