Maduro bans rival from holding public office

CaraCas: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s regime, bolstered by a Russian military deployment infuriating the US, announced a ban on Washington-backed self-declared interim leader Juan Guaido holding public office.

But National Assembly legislature speaker Guaido immediately shot back that the 15-year prohibition announced on state television by Maduro’s Auditor General Elvis Amoroso was invalid.

“He is not auditor general ... The legitimate congress is the only one with power to designate an auditor general,” he said.

The announcement also prompted a withering response from Washington, where State Department spokesman Robert Palladino described the move in a brief remark as “ridiculous”.

It was the latest scuffle between Maduro and Guaido, who lay rival claims to be the legitimate leader of the oil-producing South American nation of 30 million people.

The competition has been escalated into a geopolitical struggle, drawing in the US and its allies which support Guaido, and Russia, Cuba and China backing Maduro.

Though unpopular in a country spiraling ever deeper into economic chaos, Maduro has the upper hand at home, thanks to loyalty from his military chiefs and, since last weekend, the presence of 100 Russian troops.

Abroad, Guaido is buoyed by US sanctions against Maduro’s regime funneling funds his way, and efforts to have his envoys recognised over Maduro’s in diplomatic missions and international organisations.

Maduro, who so far has heeded US warnings to not arrest Guaido under threat of unspecified repercussions, appears nonetheless more confident since Moscow’s overt protection.

Moscow on Thursday shrugged off a demand made a day earlier by US President Donald Trump that “Russia has to get out” of Venezuela.

Its troops, described as military experts, will stay “for as long as needed,” a spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin said, suggesting Washington back off and not interfere.

On Monday, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused the US of organising a “coup” in Venezuela.

Some reports said the soldiers were there to operate air defence systems bought from Russia.

The US has reacted angrily to Russia’s move, with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo expressing Washington’s displeasure in a tweet that borrowed a Maduro hashtag usually aimed at America.

“Maduro calls for hands off Venezuela while he invites security forces from Cuba and Russia, so he and his cronies can keep plundering Venezuela,” Pompeo posted.

“It is time for Venezuelan institutions to stand for their sovereignty. Russia and Cuba, #HandsOffVenezuela.”

The US tactics, so far, have been focused on ratcheting up sanctions.

Those will jump to a critical level for Venezuela in a month’s time, on April 28, when America will impose a ban on imports of Venezuelan oil.

With the United States as Venezuela’s main customer for crude, that step is expected to severely impact Maduro’s already depleted state coffers. — AFP