The Vice President Delcy Rodriguez is now temporarily the President of Venezuela went on Venezuelan television with the following statement: “We are the sons and daughters of Simón Bolivar and we demand the proof that Nicolas Maduro and his wife are still alive.” The unofficial word from Caracas is that in an act of treason Maduro was handed over, possibly by people related to those still in power though this has not be corroborated? The government in Caracas has not fallen, the capital city was bombed as were at least four other locations (ports mainly, including Aragua and La Guiara) and there are injured and dead. The vice president who has taken power may have already been in talks with the US last month about calling elections once more in Venezuela. theer are reports that a coup d’État may currently be underway.
The US claims that Nicolas Maduro is now associated with the Tren de Aragua drug trafficking gang. They also claim the right to try Maduro as they did the President of Panama when they kidnapped him too and jailed him also for drug trafficking. Seemingly the US believes that trying a kidnapped foreign president under US law in the United States is somehow legitimate (possibly because they do not recognise international courts).
Earlier the US had also claimed that President Maduro was associated with a fictitious drug gang but when that was pointed out that the gang never existed and was, in fact a nickname, the US changed its story. Neither accusations seem to be relevant or provable but the Tren de Aragua gang are powerful across North and South America and have paramilitary presence in many countries even as far afield as Chile and the US.
Just yesterday Maduro reiterated that the US wants to force a government change in Venezuela and gain access to its vast oil reserves […] with the US massive military deployment in the Caribbean since August. “What do they seek?” Maduro asked rhetorically, “It is clear that they want to impose themselves through threats, intimidation and force,” Maduro said and it seems he was correct.
“The U.S. government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready […] “If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for U.S. investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.” It seems Trump was not ready to deal with Venezuela he prefers to take it instead.
While Russia and Iran condemned the invasion and the kidnapping of the President and his wife, Russia called for peace. Brazil however, which is a neighbour of Venezuela, and the most powerful nation in the continent was more forceful calling for the intervention of the United Nations. Lula posted the following in a social media post:
“The condemnation of the use of force is consistent with the position that Brazil has always adopted in recent situations in other countries and regions. The [US] action is reminiscent of the worst moments of [US] interference in Latin American and Caribbean politics threatening [maybe more than threatening] the preservation of the region as a zone of peace.”
The situation is ongoing and President Trump has promised a declaration from his pink palace in Mar-a-lago in moments.
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