: Protest Leader Charged as Belarus’ President Disparages Unrest as a U.S. Plot #WorldNEWS MOSCOW (AP) — Belarus authoritarian leader on Wednesday sought to disparage protesters demanding his

Protest Leader Charged as Belarus’ President Disparages Unrest as a U.S. Plot #WorldNEWS
MOSCOW (AP) — Belarus authoritarian leader on Wednesday sought to disparage protesters demanding his resignation for a sixth straight week following a disputed election by accusing the United States of fomenting the unrest.
In a long speech to top officials, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko ranted against the alleged U. S. -led plan to destabilize the country and claimed that American allies in Europe have participated in the effort that took years to prepare, part of his attempts to cast the opposition as Western stooges.
Lukashenko didnt provide evidence to back his claim that the U. S. had any involvement in the demonstrations.

His main challenger in the election, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, dismissed his comments as an attempt to divert public attention from rigging the vote and the violent crackdown on protests.
“There is just one reason behind the protests in Belarus and its known to everyone: Lukashenko has lost the vote, but he doesn’t want to step down,” Tsikhanouskaya told The Associated Press in a written comment. “People have denied Lukashenko their trust and support and demand that he leave. ”
Protesters in Belarus have flooded the streets of the Belarusian capital and other cities denouncing Lukashenkos landslide reelection in the Aug. 9 vote as rigged. The huge demonstrations were driven by frustration with the Belarusian strongmans 26-year iron-fist rule, his cavalier response to the coronavirus and the worsening economy.
The U. S. and the European Union have criticized the election as neither free nor fair, and urged Lukashenko to start talks with the opposition — a call he has rejected.
“We had the vote and got the result, period,” Lukashenko said in Wednesdays speech before top officials. “Its time to stop stirring up society. ”
U. N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters Wednesday he hopes his repeated calls will be heeded for an inclusive political dialogue among Belarusians. He said re-establishing a national consensus “is absolutely essential for the harmonious development of the country. ”
Sergei Naryshkin, director of Russias Foreign Intelligence Service, claimed in a statement carried by Russian news agencies Wednesday that the U. S. has funded the Belarusian opposition and encouraged the protests.
In an apparent attempt to delegitimize the Belarusian protests, Naryshkin added that his agency has information that “the U. S. is playing a key role in the current developments in Belarus. ” He alleged that the U. S. has earmarked tens of millions of dollars to finance Belarus opposition groups, but provided no evidence.