One of the protesters, who shouted
at Juan Guaidó and threw a liquid at him, was wearing the uniform of the
state-owned airline Conviasa, which has been directly hit by US sanctions.
There were also scuffles between the
protesters and supporters of Juan Guaidó, who had gone to the airport to
welcome him.
Lawmakers loyal to Juan Guaidó had
to walk to the airport after the bus they were traveling in was stopped by
police.
Journalists reported being attacked
and having their kit stolen by those who had turned out to boo Juan Guaidó.
His office later said that a
relative who was travelling with him had been held by airport officials, and
had not been seen since.
Meanwhile, without directly naming Juan Guaidó, President Maduro told his
supporters to focus on “defending Venezuela”.
He said at a ceremony that was broadcast on state television: “Let’s not get distracted by
stupidities, by dummies, by traitors to the homeland.”
Nicolas Maduro’s second-in-command Diosdado Cabello also denounced Juan
Guaidó’s three-week tour as a “tourism trip”, and said he did not
expect anything to change after his return.
“He is nothing,”
Diosdado Cabello added.
President Maduro and his officials have threatened Juan Guaidó in the past,
but these threats have, so far, not led to him being harmed or detained.
Despite this being the second time he defied a court-imposed travel ban,
Juan Guaidó was not arrested.
After landing, Juan Guaidó addressed a rally of about 500 people in Caracas,
where he called for renewed protests against the president.
During Juan Guaidó’s visit to the US, President Trump promised to “smash” Nicolas Maduro’s government.
In a chaotic scene, Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan Guaidó has forced his way into the National Assembly (the country’s parliament) building after being stopped by troops. The incident occurred as his rival for the position of parliamentary speaker held a session inside.
Juan Guaido, who was re-elected on January 5 to a second one-year term as head of the opposition-held congress, had pledged to preside over January 7 opening session after security forces blocked him from the building over the weekend to allow allies of President Nicolas Maduro to swear in their own speaker, Luis Parra.
On January 5, security forces blocked him to enter the parliament. He tried
again to break through a cordon on January 7. He and his supporters managed to
push through the riot police. Their arrival prompted pro-government lawmakers
to leave.
Juan Guaidó went on sit down in the Speaker’s chair. He and his supporters
sang the national anthem before he was sworn in as Speaker during a power cut
which forced people to use phone lights.
Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro revealed
he had been in talks with the Trump administration for months, even as the US
ramped up its sanctions.
The US is one of more than 50 nations which do not recognize Nicolás Maduro
as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
On August 20, President Maduro said that talks with the Trump administration
had been going on for months.
However, US National Security Adviser John Bolton said the only thing being
discussed was Nicolás Maduro’s departure.
Speaking on TV, President Maduro said: “Just
as I have sought dialogue in Venezuela, I have sought a way in which President
Trump really listens to Venezuela.”
President Donald Trump confirmed on August 20 that his administration was
“talking to various representatives of Venezuela”.
He said: “I don’t want to say
who, but we are talking at a very high level.”
President Maduro had suggested that he authorized the back-channel
discussions.
However, John Bolton cast those contacts in a very different light, tweeting:
“As the President has repeatedly stated,
to end the pilfering of the Venezuelan people’s resources and continued
repression, Maduro must go. The only items discussed by those who are reaching
out behind Maduro’s back are his departure and free and fair elections.”
John Bolton said President Trump’s
aim was to “to end the pilfering of the Venezuelan people’s resources and
continued repression” and that to that end, President Maduro “must
go”.
The US imposed sweeping sanctions
earlier this month aimed at increasing pressure on President Maduro to step
down.
Venezuela has been caught up in a
struggle for power between President Maduro and the leader of the country’s
National Assembly, Juan Guaidó.
Juan Guaidó declared himself interim
president in January, claiming that the elections which brought Nicolás Maduro to power for a second term were fraudulent.
While Juan Guaidó has gained the
backing of over 50 countries he has so far failed to remove Nicolás Maduro from power.
Talks between the two sides hosted
by Barbados and mediated by Norway recently stalled after President Maduro
denounced the opposition for backing the sweeping sanctions imposed by the US.
According to the UN, Venezuela is
suffering one of the worst economic crises in history with a quarter of its 30
million population in need of aid.
More than four million Venezuelans
have left the country over the past years.
Nicolás Maduro’s government has come under
fire by the international community for a number of reasons.
When opposition parties gained a
majority in Venezuela’s National Assembly, the president created a rival body
stacked with his supporters which assumed many of its powers. His 2018
re-election was controversial, and labeled as rigged by his critics, after many
rivals were barred from running or fled the country.
Protests and demonstrations erupted
into violence and were met with a crackdown by authorities which saw civilians
killed.
The US has been a frequent target of
Nicolás Maduro’s anger.
President Maduro has accused the US,
and John Bolton in particular, of trying to kill him, without supplying any
evidence. He claims that his opposition is backed by foreign powers, rather
than a domestic resistance to his authority.
Government officials were the first
target of US sanctions against Nicolás
Maduro’s government – but earlier this year, it brought new restrictions
forward on the state oil company, which is a major player in the national
economy.
That was followed in August by sweeping sanctions that froze all property of the government in the US, and blocks American companies doing business with Venezuela.
A massive power cut has plunged Venezuela into
darkness, with the capital Caracas among the areas affected.
It is believed at least 18 of Venezuela’s 23 states have lost power.
Information Minister Jorge Rodrigues claimed the power cut was caused by an
“electromagnetic attack” and officials were working to restore power.
Earlier this year, Venezuela was hit by a series of power cuts, including
one that affected all 23 states and lasted a week, leading to shortages and
riots.
Another outage in April plunged large swathes of the country into darkness;
however, that lasted hours rather than days.
Sporadic blackouts are common in
Venezuela, where the economy has collapsed amid a political crisis.
President Nicolás Maduro and other
state officials have in the past blamed “terrorism” and opposition
sabotage, often alleging US involvement.
The opposition has said the power
cuts are the result of years of corruption and underinvestment.
Venezuela’s state-owned power
company Corpolec earlier reported that a breakdown had only affected parts of
Caracas.
Opposition leader Juan Guaidó and President Nicolás Maduro have been at
loggerheads since January, when the former invoked the constitution and
declared himself interim president.
Juan Guaidó argued that the elections which had returned Nicolás Maduro to
power for a second term in 2018 had not been free and fair.
Since then, more than 50 countries, including the US and most nations in Latin
America, have recognized Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate leader.
However, Venezuela’s military – a powerful force in the country – and
influential allies such as China and Russia have stuck by Nicolás Maduro.
An attempt by Juan Guaidó to get the military to switch allegiance to
him failed, and Venezuela remains in limbo with both men claiming to be the
legitimate president.
Meanwhile, a severe economic crisis has exacerbated and shortages of food
and medicines have grown even more acute.
According to UN figures, 4 million people have fled Venezuela since 2015.
The government blames the shortages on US sanctions but the opposition says
they are down to years of mismanagement.
Preliminary talks between Juan Guaidó and Nicolás Maduro were held in Oslo
in May, but they petered out without an agreement.
However, they resumed earlier this month, with the Norwegian foreign ministry again acting as a mediator.
Members of the Venezuelan government
say they are putting down a small coup attempt after opposition leader Juan
Guaido announced he was in the “final phase” of ending President
Nicolas Maduro’s rule.
He appeared in a video with
uniformed men, saying he had military support.
Juan Guaido, who declared himself
interim president in January, called for more members of the military to help
him end Nicolas Maduro’s “usurpation” of power.
However, military leaders appeared
to be standing behind Nicolas Maduro.
Venezuela’s defense minister
appeared on TV to stress the point. However, pictures from Caracas show some
soldiers aligning themselves with Juan Guaido’s supporters.
Nicolas Maduro’s detractors hope the
military will change its allegiance as resentment grows following years of
hyperinflation, power cuts, food and medicine shortages.
So far, the armed forces have stood
by President Maduro – despite dozens of countries, including the UK, the US and
most of Latin America, recognizing Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s rightful leader.
As a result, John Bolton, the US
national security adviser, said what was taking place in Venezuela was not a
coup, but a legitimate leader trying to take control.
Protesters supporting both sides
have gathered at different points in the capital, Caracas.
There are running clashes between
Juan Guaido’s supporters and armed military vehicles. Protesters were also seen
throwing rocks, but being repelled by tear gas and water cannon.
TV cameras also caught the moment
armored vehicles drove into a crowd but it is unclear if there were any
injuries.
According to El Universal newspaper, at least 37 people had been injured across
Caracas.
Meanwhile, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said the uprising by
some members of the military had been “partly defeated”, but warned
of possible bloodshed.
He warned: “The weapons of the
republic are here to defend the nation’s sovereignty and independence.”
Vladimir Padrino also revealed one soldier had suffered a bullet wound.
A three-minute video by Juan Guaido was published on April 30. In the video,
he announced he had the support of “brave soldiers” in Caracas.
“The National Armed Forces have
taken the correct decision… they are guaranteed to be on the right side of
history,” he said.
Juan Guaido was filmed alongside
another opposition leader, Leopoldo Lopez, who has been under house arrest
since being found guilty of inciting violence during anti-government protests
in 2014.
Leopoldo Lopez, who leads the
Popular Will party of which Juan Guaido is a member, said he had been freed by
members of the military.
He went on to urge Venezuelans to
join them on the streets.
Meanwhile, Chile’s Ministry of
Foreign Affairs revealed he, his wife Lilian Tintori and their daughter had
entered Chile’s embassy in Caracas to seek protection.
Juan Guaido, the president of the
opposition-controlled National Assembly, has been calling on the military to
back him ever since he declared himself interim president.
He argues that President Nicolas Maduro is a “usurper” because he
was re-elected in polls that had been widely disputed.
The video appeared to have been recorded at dawn in or near La Carlota air force base in Caracas.
Venezuelan troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who
attempted to collect a foreign aid at the border, as President Nicolás Maduro
blocked the humanitarian transport from crossing from Colombia and Brazil.
On February 23, a number of people were shot with live ammunition, human
rights groups say. At least two people were killed.
The opposition wants the aid to go to people hit by the economic crisis, but
President Maduro sees it as a security threat.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the attacks on civilians, which he
blamed on “Maduro’s thugs”.
He said in a tweet following the clashes: “Our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have died due
to these criminal acts. We join their demand for justice.”
Mike Pompeo also described the burning of some of the aid as
“sickening”.
Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan
Guaidó, who has declared himself interim president and helped to organize the
aid, condemned the action by security forces.
Juan Guaidó, who has been recognized
as leader by dozens of nations, will meet Vice President Mike Pence on February
25 in Bogota, Colombia.
Mike Pence is travelling there to
meet leaders of the regional Lima Group, in spite of a travel ban imposed on
him by President Maduro’s government.
On February 23, Juan Guaidó posted a
tweet which implored the international community to be “open to all
options” in order to “liberate” Venezuela from Nicolas Maduro –
who is continuing to resist all calls to stand down.
Juan Guaidó organized the collection
of hundreds of tonnes of foreign aid at the country’s borders. He gave the
government a deadline of Saturday to allow the aid to be brought into Venezuela
or vowed to have volunteers march it in themselves.
In response, President Maduro partly
closed the country’s borders with Brazil and Colombia, citing threats to security
and sovereignty. On February 23, Venezuelans civilians attempted to cross in
order to get to the aid stores, which included food and medicine.
Images from crossing points across
Venezuela showed security forces firing tear gas at volunteers. Protesters
burned outposts and threw projectiles at soldiers and riot police.
Rights groups say at least two
people, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot dead in the clashes in Santa
Elena de Uairen, near the country’s border with Brazil. Another two were reported
to have been killed on February 22.
Amnesty International has described
the use of firearms against protesters as a serious human rights violation and
a crime under international law.
There have also been reports of
several aid trucks being burned – something Juan Guaidó said was a violation of
the Geneva Convention.
At about 19:00 local time on February 23, Colombia’s government estimated the number injured at border crossings to be about 300. Journalists at the scene have reported severe injuries among protesters, including several who appeared to have lost their eyes.
Venezuelan troops fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who
attempted to collect a foreign aid at the border, as President Nicolás Maduro
blocked the humanitarian transport from crossing from Colombia and Brazil.
On February 23, a number of people were shot with live ammunition, human
rights groups say. At least two people were killed.
The opposition wants the aid to go to people hit by the economic crisis, but
President Maduro sees it as a security threat.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned the attacks on civilians, which he
blamed on “Maduro’s thugs”.
He said in a tweet following the clashes: “Our deepest sympathies to the families of those who have died due
to these criminal acts. We join their demand for justice.”
Mike Pompeo also described the burning of some of the aid as
“sickening”.
Venezuela’s opposition leader Juan
Guaidó, who has declared himself interim president and helped to organize the
aid, condemned the action by security forces.
Juan Guaidó, who has been recognized
as leader by dozens of nations, will meet Vice President Mike Pence on February
25 in Bogota, Colombia.
Mike Pence is travelling there to
meet leaders of the regional Lima Group, in spite of a travel ban imposed on
him by President Maduro’s government.
On February 23, Juan Guaidó posted a
tweet which implored the international community to be “open to all
options” in order to “liberate” Venezuela from Nicolas Maduro –
who is continuing to resist all calls to stand down.
Juan Guaidó organized the collection
of hundreds of tonnes of foreign aid at the country’s borders. He gave the
government a deadline of Saturday to allow the aid to be brought into Venezuela
or vowed to have volunteers march it in themselves.
In response, President Maduro partly
closed the country’s borders with Brazil and Colombia, citing threats to security
and sovereignty. On February 23, Venezuelans civilians attempted to cross in
order to get to the aid stores, which included food and medicine.
Images from crossing points across
Venezuela showed security forces firing tear gas at volunteers. Protesters
burned outposts and threw projectiles at soldiers and riot police.
Rights groups say at least two
people, including a 14-year-old boy, were shot dead in the clashes in Santa
Elena de Uairen, near the country’s border with Brazil. Another two were reported
to have been killed on February 22.
Amnesty International has described
the use of firearms against protesters as a serious human rights violation and
a crime under international law.
There have also been reports of
several aid trucks being burned – something Juan Guaidó said was a violation of
the Geneva Convention.
At about 19:00 local time on February 23, Colombia’s government estimated the number injured at border crossings to be about 300. Journalists at the scene have reported severe injuries among protesters, including several who appeared to have lost their eyes.
Moscow has condemned foreign powers
for backing Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó who declared himself
interim president, calling it a bid to “usurp power”.
Russia said that the move violated
international law and was a “direct path to bloodshed”.
On January 23, Juan Guaidó declared
himself interim leader – a move recognized by the US and several other nations.
Meanwhile, President Nicolás Maduro,
who retains some other nations’ support, broke off relations with the US in
response.
Nicolas Maduro has been in office
since 2013. He was sworn in for a second term earlier this month, after winning
a May 2018 election marred by an opposition boycott and widespread claims of
vote-rigging.
President Nicolas Maduro’s Istanbul Lunch Sparks Outrage in VenezuelaJuan Guaidó is the head of the National Assembly, who has said articles within Venezuela’s constitution allow him to assume interim power because he believes Nicolas Maduro’s election, and therefore presidency, is invalid.
The opposition leader has vowed to
lead a transitional government and hold free elections.
President Donald Trump recognized
Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s new head of state minutes after his declaration in
the capital, Caracas, on January 23.
President Trump urged other nations
to follow suit – but the move has divided much of the international community.
Seven South American nations, as
well as Canada and the UK, have now backed President Trump’s call.
The EU has stopped short of
recognition, but called for “free and credible elections” and said
Juan Guaidó’s freedom and safety should be respected.
Mexico, Bolivia and Cuba all expressed support for Nicolas Maduro, while
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tweeted: “My brother Maduro! Stand tall, we are standing by you.”
China, a major investor in Venezuela, said it opposed any outside
interference.
Russia sees Venezuela as one of its closest allies in the region. It has
lent billions of dollars and has backed its oil industry and its military.
Russia has also taken part in military exercises in Venezuela.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said: “We
consider the attempt to usurp sovereign authority in Venezuela to contradict
and violate the basis and principles of international law.
“Maduro is the legitimate head of
state.”
A Russian foreign ministry statement said Juan Guaidó’s declaration was a
“direct path to lawlessness and bloodshed”, adding: “Only Venezuelans have the right to
determine their future.
“Destructive outside
interference, especially in the current extremely tense situation, is
unacceptable.”
Russia also warned that any US military interference would amount to “adventurism which is fraught with catastrophic consequences”.
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