Tag: Venezuela

Venezuela’s Guaido pressures Maduro over humanitarian aid

by Maria Isabel SANCHEZ Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — The clock ticked down Sunday on a deadline for Venezuela’s beleaguered leader Nicolas Maduro to call snap presidential elections or see his opposition rival Juan Guaido recognized as interim president by European powers. Guaido, already recognized by the United States, Canada, Australia and several Latin American countries, said Sunday he would lobby the European Union for badly-needed humanitarian aid to a nation wracked by […]

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US urges Venezuela’s Maduro to accept amnesty

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Thursday urged Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro to accept an amnesty offer from opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom Washington has recognized as president. “I wish Nicolas Maduro and his top advisors a long, quiet retirement, living on a nice beach somewhere far from Venezuela,” national security advisor John Bolton tweeted. “They should take advantage of President Guaido’s amnesty and move on. The sooner the better,” he said. Guaido […]

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Venezuela opposition cling to social media lifeline

CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Deprived almost entirely of coverage on mainstream media, Venezuela’s self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido has been deftly using the social networks to woo support, but even that avenue is increasingly being cut off. Mainstream media is off-limits to the opposition leader, says Andres Canizalez, a political scientist at Andres Bello Catholic University. “Today in Venezuela, if a radio or television station wants to stay on air, they cannot talk about Guaido,” he […]

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Venezuela protests a ‘fight for freedom:’ Trump

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday reiterated strong US support for Venezuela’s opposition and said protesters demanding the ouster of  President Nicolas Maduro were fighting for freedom. “Large protests all across Venezuela today against Maduro. The fight for freedom has begun!” Trump tweeted. Trump said that earlier he’d spoken with self-declared acting president Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by Washington, to reinforce “strong United States support for Venezuela’s fight to […]

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US urges citizens not to travel to Venezuela due to safety

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The United States on Tuesday urged its citizens to avoid all travel to crisis-torn Venezuela, citing risks of crime and arrest and the US embassy’s limited ability to assist. “Do not travel to Venezuela due to crime, civil unrest, poor health infrastructure and arbitrary arrest and detention of US citizens,” the State Department said in an updated travel advisory. “There are shortages of food, electricity, water, medicine and medical supplies […]

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Guaido’s mother ‘surprised’ by son’s rise in Venezuela

by Lissy DE ABREU Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Norka Marquez was standing near her son, Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, when he declared himself the crisis-torn country’s new president. But she says she never saw it coming. Guaido, the head of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled legislature, raised his right hand before a crowd of thousands of supporters on Wednesday and proclaimed himself acting head of state. In doing so, he defied socialist President Nicolas Maduro, […]

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Maduro rival Guaido says taking control of Venezuela’s foreign assets

by Maria Isabel SANCHEZ Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela’s self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido said Monday he was taking control of the country’s foreign assets as he piled pressure on leader Nicolas Maduro by calling for a new wave of protests against the embattled regime. Guaido, the opposition leader who has declared himself the country’s ruler amid violent anti-government protests, says “usurper” Maduro’s rule is illegitimate and wants to set up a […]

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Venezuela’s Guaido calls for protests Wednesday, Saturday

CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela’s self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido called for a new round of protests Wednesday and Saturday against elected leader Nicolas Maduro and for free elections. In a video posted on Twitter, the head of the opposition-controlled National Assembly called for a “peaceful” strike Wednesday to paralyze the country followed by a “big national and international rally” Saturday. © Agence France-Presse

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Maduro rejects call for elections amid mounting pressure

by Maria Isabel SANCHEZ Agence France Presse CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP) — Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday rejected a European ultimatum that he call elections as opposition rival Juan Guaido stepped up appeals to the military to turn against the leftist government. The United States, meanwhile, warned there would be a “significant response” if US diplomats, Guaido, or the opposition-controlled National Assembly were targeted with violence and intimidation. The shot across the bows came after […]

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US calls to ‘stand with freedom’ in Venezuela as EU gives ultimatum

by Laura BONILLA CAL / Philippe RATER Agence France Presse UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — The United States pressed all nations Saturday to “stand with the forces of freedom” in Venezuela, encouraged by a tougher European line as Russia stood in the minority in backing embattled leader Nicolas Maduro. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo made a forceful case at a special session of the United Nations Security Council, where he described Maduro as […]

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Venezuela’s military backs Maduro, as standoff hardens with US

Venezuela’s powerful military threw its weight behind Nicolas Maduro on Thursday as the US-backed opposition leader Juan Guaido pressed a direct challenge to his authority, and the fate of the crisis-wracked country hung in the balance. As the death toll from days of street protests jumped to 26, a defiant Maduro announced the closure of Venezuela’s embassy and consulates in the United States, a day after President Donald Trump’s administration declared his regime “illegitimate.” The oil-rich […]

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Pompeo warns Venezuela’s Maduro against use of force

WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) – US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday warned Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro not to use force against mass demonstrations and urged further international support for the self-declared acting president. A day after the United States and major Latin American nations recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the acting president, Pompeo pressed his case at a special meeting of the Organization of American States. “The time for debate is done. The […]

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