Maduro vows to defend Venezuela
CARACAS: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed to devote his life “to the defence of the country,” as countries including Cuba and Bolivia reiterated their support for the Venezuelan government.
One month after Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself the “interim president,” Maduro said he is “tougher than ever” to continue taking the country’s reins before tens of thousands of Venezuelans gathering in central Caracas.
He said he would be “tough, and standing, governing this country now and for many years, facing destiny, with the reins in hand.”
He also said he would not back down and would defend the country from any attack with his life, if necessary. “My life is devoted to the defence of the country, in whatever circumstance I will never bend, I will never give up,” Maduro said.
Cuban President Miguel DiazCanel reaffirmed his country’s support for Venezuela’s ruling party, saying Venezuela is “not alone.”
The Communist Party of Cuba has called for international mobilization to prevent a war in Venezuela.
In Bolivia, President Evo Morales also warned that any intervention in Venezuela “will only bring war.” “Our Latin American brothers cannot be complicit to a military intervention. Defending Venezuela is defending the sovereignty of Latin America,” Morales tweeted.
Their remarks were made amid an aid standoff in which the US and other countries in the region, in coordination with the Venezuelan opposition, declared a plan to deliver humanitarian aid to Venezuela, which was rejected by the Venezuelan government, fearing that it might be the first step toward a foreign invasion.
Maduro announced severance of relations with Colombia on Saturday, asking its embassy staff to “leave within 24 hours.”
Three bridges serves as the most important border crossings between Venezuela and Colombia were closed a day before.
Venezuela also sealed off the country’s border with Brazil and suspended aerial and maritime communications.