Pence, Venezuelan opposition leaders meet
AMERICAN Vice-President Mike Pence has been in Florida to meet Venezuelan opposition leaders, capping off his tour of Latin America last week where he sought support against the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
The meeting with 15 emigre political figures took place at a Catholic Church in Doral, well known as an enclave for Venezuelans opposed to the successive Bolivarian administrations of late president Hugo Chavez and his successor, Nicolas Maduro.
Three former Venezuelan mayors were in attendance, with two asking that further unilateral sanctions be imposed by the US government.
A third former mayor, Ramon Muchacho, told Pence that aid from the EU and US was needed as “there is no way to get out of (the crisis) by democratic means”. Muchacho faces criminal charges in Venezuela for failing to dismantle opposition barricades in the affluent Caracas district of Chacao.
Pence repeated the White House position that the democratically elected government in Caracas resembled a “dictatorship”, and that there was “more to come” in terms of sanctions.
Soon after visiting the house of worship, Pence also made his presence felt at the headquarters of the US Southern Command, also located in Doral.
Pence’s recent trip to four Latin American countries with mostly right wing governments – Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Panama – was met with unanimous rejection of any plans for a military intervention in Venezuela.
His trip came on the heels of US President Donald Trump threatening Venezuela with possible military action after having proceeded with electing a Constituent Assembly last month.