MOSCOW, Nov. 1 (Xinhua) -- Russia strongly condemns the United States for the excessive use of military force during counter-narcotics missions in the Caribbean, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said Saturday.

Such actions violate both U.S. domestic and international law, Zakharova said, adding that the position is recognized by representatives of a number of countries and international organizations, including UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk.

"We reaffirm our firm support for the Venezuelan leadership in its efforts to defend national sovereignty," she said.

"We advocate for preserving the Latin American and Caribbean region as a zone of peace," she said.

The spokesperson added that steps are needed to de-escalate the situation and facilitate constructive solutions to existing problems in line with international law.