UNITED NATIONS, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Venezuela is trying to gather support at the United Nations amid a political crisis at home.

Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, flanked by representatives from 16 other countries, read a statement on Thursday to reporters at the UN Headquarters in New York.

"Today, we are announcing that an important group of members of the United Nations states, concerned over the need to maintain respect for the principles of the founding charter (of the United Nations) that governs the behavior of the international community, have decided to organize ourselves to coordinate actions to defend the charter and the right of all the member states," said the statement.

The statement called for respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of the peoples, respect for the sovereign equality of members, non-intervention in the domestic affairs of the states, among others.

Venezuela has been in political tension since Jan. 23 when National Assembly President Juan Guaido declared himself interim president and was recognized by the United States and some other countries.