Venezuela allows U.S. diplomats to stay, defusing showdown, as crisis continues
- by Arthur Torres
- in Finance
- — Jan 28, 2019
A Venezuelan National Guard sets on fire a copy of a document, regarding a proposed amnesty law for members of the military, police and civilians, which was presented by supporters of Venezuelan opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido, outside a military unit in Caracas, Venezuela, January 27, 2019.
The United States, Canada and many Latin American countries which had refused to recognize Maduro's May 2018 re-election immediately endorsed Guaido as the interim president, setting up the tense showdown in crisis-torn Venezuela.
The report comes on the heels of an Axios post that said President Donald Trump mused about a military option with Sen.
"We call on all members of the Security Council to support Venezuela's democratic transition and interim President Guaido's role".
"If within eight days there are no fair, free and transparent elections called in Venezuela, Spain will recognise Juan Guaido as Venezuelan president" so that he himself can call such polls, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said in a televised announcement.
In rival press conferences, Guaido urged his followers to stage another mass protest next week, while Maduro pushed his call for dialogue.
Cabello said the only election he would back would be for the National Assembly, which Guaido heads.
"Venezuela does not pose any threat to peace and security".
The Venezuela armed forces are considered the backbone of the government, and on Thursday senior military officers reaffirmed support for Maduro, claiming that there was an effective "coup" under way.
The US-Venezuelan relations have always been tense, with Trump saying back in August 2017 at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey that he did not rule out a "military option" to put end to chaos in Venezuela.
At the same time, Maduro demonstrated his might, wearing tan fatigues at military exercises.
Rulings by pro-government judges and the CNE thwarted opposition efforts to hold a referendum to revoke Maduro's presidency in 2016, a vote allowed under the constitution.
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At the United Nations on Saturday, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urged all nations to end Venezuela's "nightmare" and support Guaido.
"If they want to leave Venezuela, they should all go, and now".
Guaido's bid was swiftly endorsed by Canada, the United States and many Latin American countries.
Last night was supposed to be the deadline for American diplomats in Venezuela to vacate the country as ordered by dictator Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza dismissed the deadline.
Guaido celebrated the support of European countries and also asked them to send humanitarian aid to help relieve the economic crisis.
The top USA diplomat rapped China and Russian Federation for "propping up a failed regime in the hopes of recovering billions of dollars in ill-considered investments and assistance made over the years".
"No, my commander-in-chief", they shouted in unison, and Mr Maduro responded: "We're ready to defend our homeland - under any circumstance".
This weekend, Guaido's supporters maintained a united front from NY and Brussels to the streets of Caracas, and the country's military attache in Washington declared allegiance to the newcomer.
Cuba's U.N. Ambassador Anayansi Rodriguez went further, rejecting "the deliberate" and "fake news" cast on the country not only by Pompeo but by Elliot Abrams, the new chief of US policy on Venezuela who sat in the council after the secretary of state left.
Talks about an interest section will have a 30-day limit and if no agreement is reached embassy personnel will then have to leave the country, according to the statement.
