Nicolas Maduro called the new US sanctions against the Venezuelan oil industry unlawful confiscation. According to the Wall Street Journal, the sanctions cost Venezuelans $11 billion and have already paralyzed oil exports. Pink Floyd leader calls on Twitter to stop destroying Venezuela to appropriate its oil, supporting the current president. But the self-proclaimed president found supporters among the Russian opposition.
Alexander Khristenko has the details.
Juan Guaido declared himself the president of Venezuela, and therefore the commander-in-chief. So far, he looks more like a ceremonial bystander. Now they're waiting for him in the EU and he thanks them.
Juan Guaido, President of the National Assembly of Venezuela: "On behalf of Venezuela, on behalf of the Congress, on behalf of all those who want a better life, we thank the EU for its unified position. We're confident that we'll define our future".
Actually, there's a problem with the EU: Italy refuses to recognize Guaido as a president. This only proves the illegitimacy of the EU decision. Brussels immediately tried to shame Rome.
Antonio Tajani, President of the European Parliament: "We again appeal to the Italian government with a call to change the position and not to support such a cruel dictator like Maduro".
The Western countries don't care about the foreign-policy dictate as to who should be the president in Venezuela. Canada, along with the South American states — The so-called Lima Group... Themselves recognized Guaido and advise the Venezuelan army to do so. When Canadian top diplomat Chrystia Freeland said what others should do, she was told to get lost in response.
"Get out of Venezuela! Hands off Venezuela!"
Western countries, which care about the welfare of the Venezuelans in words, arranged per Se the most severe trade blockade for the republic, refusing to buy raw materials from Venezuela, primarily oil. President Nicolas Maduro does not give up and even jokes about the situation which the self-proclaimed president Juan Guaido found himself in.
Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela: "Some governments controlled by Donald Trump say that the country now has a different president. And you, Mr. Clown, now need to hold elections. And his own supporters will eventually ask him why he didn't hold the elections. Will he continue to virtually govern the country? And how long is he going to rule like that? Until 2025?"
In the virtual world, in addition to Guaido, Russian opposition member Mark Feygin also opposes the Venezuelan president. He's one of the leaders of the Free Russia Forum, which, following the West, recognized Guaido. Feygin decided to undermine Maduro's position on Twitter by sending a complaint that he pretends to be a president and violates the rules of Twitter. He called upon other users to do the same so that Twitter would block Maduro. Prior to that, in Washington, Feygin tried to block the elevator, he pushed other people away to prevent our crew from getting there.
- Why are you getting in?
- Why are you pushing me?
Why are you getting in?
But the attempt to impose his rules by force ended in failure.
Even the attempt of Western countries and the US, first and foremost, to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela looks more like a military action, which grossly violates the existing rules. Small wonder that the International Committee of the Red Cross announced that it didn't take part in it.
Alexander Khristenko, Nikolay Koskin for Vesti from Washington, USA.
