US backs self-declared president
One nation - two presidents
‘‘Don’t trust the gringos. They don’t have friends or loyalties. They only have interests, guts and the ambition to take Venezuela’s oil, gas and gold.’’ Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela president
Venezuela’s crisis quickly escalated yesterdayday, as an opposition leader backed by the Trump administration declared himself interim president in a direct challenge to embattled socialist Nicolas Maduro, who retaliated by breaking off relations with the United States, his biggest trade partner.
For the past two weeks, ever since Maduro took the oath for a second six-year term in the face of widespread international condemnation, the newly-invigorated opposition had been preparing for nationwide demonstrations yesterday coinciding with the anniversary marking the end of Venezuela’s last military dictatorship in 1958.
While Maduro has shown no signs of leaving, his main rival, National Assembly President Juan Guaido, upped the ante by declaring himself interim president before masses of antigovernment demonstrators – the only way, he said, to rescue Venezuela from ‘‘dictatorship’’.
The US led a chorus of Western hemisphere nations, including Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Colombia, that immediately backed the bold challenge, with President Donald Trump calling on Maduro to resign and promising to use the ‘‘full weight’’ of the US economic and diplomatic power to push for the restoration of Venezuela’s democracy.
‘‘The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out against Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law,’’ Trump said in a statement.
The stunning move, which to some recalled dark episodes of heavy-handed US intervention in Latin America during the Cold War, drew a strong rebuke from Maduro. He responded by swiftly cutting off diplomatic relations with the United States, the biggest importer of the Opec nation’s oil, giving American diplomats 72 hours to leave the country.
‘‘Before the people and nations of the world, and as constitutional president . .... I’ve decided to break diplomatic and political relations with the imperialist US government,’’ Maduro told a crowd of red-shirted supporters gathered at the presidential palace. ‘‘Don’t trust the gringos. They don’t have friends or loyalties. They only
have interests, guts and the ambition to take Venezuela’s oil, gas and gold.’’
The 35-year-old Guaido, a virtually unknown lawmaker at the start of the year, has reignited the hopes of Venezuela’s often beleaguered opposition by striking a rebellious pose amid a crushing economic crisis that has forced millions to flee or go hungry.
Raising his right hand in unison with tens of thousands of supporters, the leader of the opposition-controlled congress took a symbolic oath to assume executive powers he says are his right under Venezuela’s constitution and to take over as interim president until he calls new elections.
‘‘Today, January 23, 2019, I swear to formally assume the powers of the national executive as president in charge of Venezuela,’’ he told the cheering crowd as he stood behind a lectern emblazoned with Venezuela’s national coat of arms,
‘‘We know that this will have consequences,’’ he shouted, moments before quickly slipping away to an unknown location amid speculation he would soon be arrested.
Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo all issued statements proclaiming US recognition of Guaido and saying the US would take all diplomatic and economic measures necessary to support a transition to a new government.
The bold challenge to Maduro’s rule came after large crowds gathered in Caracas waving flags and chanting ‘‘Get out Maduro!’’ in what was the largest demonstration since a wave of unrest that left more than 120 dead in 2017.
While the protests were mostly peaceful there were no signs that security forces heeded Guaido’s call to join the anti-Maduro movement and go light on demonstrators.