American democracy, as in Sri Lanka and Maldives, rests on the strength of its institutions and systems of checks and balances, says U.S. Ambassador Alaina Teplitz.

The United States representative to Sri Lanka and Maldives said this in a statement released on Monday, regarding the U.S. Capitol attack last week.

Teplitz said that she was disappointed by the “appalling scene” in Washington D.C last Wednesday.

Noting that American democracy “as in Sri Lanka and Maldives, rests on the strength of its institutions and system of checks and balances,” the ambassador stressed that their institutions “have been tested and proved resilient through the years”.

However, she added that recent events have reminded that “democracy needs constant tending and renewal by leaders and citizens alike”.

Noting that Americans “strive to form a more perfect union,” Teplitz said that these aspirations show its imperfections “even as it promises a body politic that is more fair, equitable, and diverse”.

The ambassador further said that “providing opportunities and outlets for common understanding is what it takes to address the past and lay the foundation for a more inclusive future,” as well as that the United States will continue to hold high standards as well as encourage others “to continue reaching for that more perfect governance of the people, by the people, for the people”.

Hours after a rally by President Donald Trump challenging his defeat at last year’s presidential elections on January 6, a group of his supporters stormed a session of the Congress that was being held to certify Joe Biden’s election win. While the session went into recess as protesters entered the chambers, it reconvened hours later to complete the work and has since confirmed President-elect Joe Biden's Electoral College victory over Trump.

While no Maldivian authorities have made any official comments following the Capital assault, current Speaker and former President Mohamed Nasheed described it as an attempted coup.

Reiterating that he has been through one as well, Nasheed claimed that he knows “what a coup looks like”, and added that the current situation in the United States not only attacks the democratic freedoms and norms in the United States, but around the world.

Nasheed joined a number of world leaders expressing concern over the situation in US Capitol, including United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, French President Emmanuel Macron and United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who all stressed the importance of respecting democratic processes and the rule of law.