Guaido determined to implement democracy in Venezuela, while Maduro clings to power

Image
ANI Others
Last Updated : Feb 02 2019 | 7:50 PM IST

Self-proclaimed interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaido on Saturday said that he will "steer the country to democracy" from the ongoing political and humanitarian crisis in the South American nation.

"Governability, stability, the lowest social impact possible, attend to the current humanitarian emergency, reactivate the economy to create jobs for citizens and steer Venezuela towards democracy," Guaido told Al Jazeera.

According to reports, President Nicolas Maduro has been ignoring the call of the international community to seek re-elections as well as mediate talks with the opposition over the political turmoil in the country.

"The opposition has been willing to negotiate. We have tried everything. We have voted, we have abstained. We have gone on hunger strikes. We have protested and they have killed us," Guaido said.

"The cessation of the regime, a transition government and free elections, everything within that framework can be discussed," Guaido added.

The opposition leader, who has been recognised as the interim President of the country by the United States and the European Union, has not ruled out accepting military support by the US in the politics of Venezuela.

Meanwhile, US Vice President Mike Pence on Friday once again threatened Maduro while addressing a gathering in Miami, saying it is time for him to step down.

"The struggle in Venezuela is between dictatorship and democracy - and freedom has the momentum. Nicolas Maduro is a dictator with no legitimate claim to power - and Nicolas Maduro must go!" the US Vice President took to Twitter as saying.

The Vice President further stated that the US will continue to exert all diplomatic and economic pressure to bring about a peaceful transition to democracy in the South American nation.

"This is no time for dialogue. This is time for action, & the time has come to end the Maduro dictatorship! The National Assembly & President Guaido has our full support because we recognize the truth - Maduro's dictatorship is destroying Venezuela," Pence added.

President Nicolas Maduro is facing the hardest challenge to his rule after being accused of election fraud and overseeing a deep economic collapse.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 02 2019 | 7:36 PM IST

Next Story