Trump reaffirms US support for Venezuelan puppet in phone call

CNBC
Wed, 30 Jan 2019 18:01 UTC

© Reuters: Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Aaron Josefczyk

The US has announced its support for Juan Guaido, the Venezuelan Opposition Leader.

U.S. President Donald Trump and Venezuela's self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido agreed during a Wednesday phone call to maintain regular contact amid planned protests in coming days, according to a White House spokeswoman.

Trump spoke with Guiado "to reinforce President Trump's strong support for Venezuela's fight to regain its democracy," White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said in a statement. Washington has recognized Guaido, an opposition leader and head of Venezuela's national assembly, as the president of the country.

In an interview with CNN that aired on Tuesday, Guaido said he had spoken with Trump a number of times. When asked about a possible military option in Venezuela, Guaido said all options were on the table, CNN said.

Comment: He and whose army? The Venezuelan military is with Maduro, and any foreign involvement will be seen by the majority of Venezuelans for what it is: a foreign invasion.

Meanwhile in an interview with Moscow's RIA news agency, Venezuela's socialist leader Nicolas Maduro accused Trump of ordering his assassination while his main global backer Russia called on Wednesday for mediation in a standoff deepening geopolitical splits.

The fight to control Venezuela, which has the world's largest oil reserves, has intensified with new U.S. sanctions and legal moves that may bring Guaido's arrest.

Comment: After Maduro rebuffed their ultimatum, the EU parliament has urged its member states to recognize Guaido the pretender as Venezuela's interim "president":

The European Parliament voted to recognize opposition leader Juan Guaido as the legitimate interim president of Venezuela and urged EU leaders to do the same.

The resolution, voted on Thursday, called on the EU leadership to adopt "a strong, unified stance," and recognize Guaido as the "only legitimate" interim president of the South American nation until new elections are held to "restore democracy."

The MEPs also pledged "full support" for Venezuela's opposition-controlled parliament, the National Assembly, urging the EU states to "accredit" the envoys appointed by the opposition.

The document was adopted with 439 votes to 104, with 88 MEPs abstaining.

Guaido thanked the European Parliament for the vote. "We made a big step in our fight for democracy," he wrote on Twitter.

Because the EU decides who is a legitimate leader in a foreign sovereign country. Obviously.

See also:

• Anglo-American Deep State Operatives in Canada Caught Steering Venezuelan Coup