Live: US Ambassador to Venezuela speaks with EL TIEMPO – Venezuela – International

Speaking this week about the Venezuelan migration and humanitarian crisis, the Colombian president said Ivan Duque, warned that up to 10 million Venezuelans could leave their country if Nicolás Maduro’s departure does not come out of power; and asked the United States “Keep your eyes up” about this situation.

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The ambassador of the US external agency for Venezuela, James Story, sees it clearly: “The problem of Venezuela is not only a problem of Venezuela and the Venezuelans, we are talking about nearly 6 million Venezuelans who are outside Venezuela, that have an economic, social and political impact in other countries ”.

Speaking to this newspaper, he acknowledged the work that the Duque government and the people of Colombia have been doing to receive nearly 2 million Venezuelans; and talked about working with other countries to put pressure on the Venezuelan regime so that it opens up space for dialogue “true” that only considers one thing: elections and election conditions.

What is behind the recent wave of aggression by the Nicolás Maduro regime against civil society organizations and local media?

This regime, of course, does not want information to reach the people of Venezuela. (…) Censorship is almost entirely in the country. But not just censorship and attacks on journalists. This regime has attacked national institutions, first with its express TSJ, the National Assembly (elected in 2015) attacking them with the Constituent Assembly, then they attacked economic life in many ways: mismanagement, corruption and also the anti-blockade law. Then they attacked the NGOs that gave the people of Venezuela medicines and food and they are ending their complete, total censorship of the latest attacks on the media.

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We are always looking for ways to make sure the information reaches the people of Venezuela because what we want is for them to have information and make their own decisions.

The US is conducting military exercises in Guyana amid a new chapter of tension in the Essequibo dispute. What are these operations about and why do they support the ICJ’s decision?

The problems between Guyana and Venezuela must be resolved peacefully, but we also believe that where those problems (should) be resolved, (in) the International Court of Justice. We do not have to agree with everyone because I know there are many who want to solve problems bilaterally.

As for the anti-drug operations that we do, we have the right to work with our allies, we work a lot with Colombia, with Central American countries, with Mexico and also in the Caribbean and South America. And Guyana is a country that works with us when performing anti-narcotics operations So I know (Vladimir) Padrino López and others want to make news about those operations, but we’ve been operating in the Caribbean Sea for months.

We recently saw a turn in the path of the opposition, which now prioritizes holding elections to get out of Nicolás Maduro. Is that the path that the United States is supporting?

We continue to support a peaceful, constitutional and political process in the country … What Venezuelans want, need, what they will get is free, fair and verifiable elections so that every Venezuelan has the chance to speak up and express themselves. (…) (In) the international community we will work together and we will support the forces of democracy and freedom in the country, such as the National Assembly (elected in 2015), as the president (manager) Guaidó himself, just like the actors: nurses, students and everyone else, so that they have the opportunity to hold free, fair and verifiable elections.

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We should all work together: the European Union, Colombia, Brazil, the Lima Group, the Rio Convention, to convince Nicolás Maduro and those in his group to allow free, fair and verifiable elections in the country. (…) The goal is the same, the tactics may change a bit, but the freedom of the people of Venezuela will always be our north, our main goal.

However, the European Union has withdrawn its recognition of Guaidó as interim president. Does that not affect that coordination?

The EU has not withdrawn its support for interim President Juan Guaidó. Each state in the EU makes its own decision whether to recognize it or not. The EU has not withdrawn its support for interim President Juan Guaidó. The EU itself had never done (that recognition), so there is no change of position.

Both now, with President (Donald) Trump, and in the future, with President (Joe) Biden, we will continue to work with the nations of the world to alleviate the suffering of the people of Venezuela and reach that moment. of free, fair and verifiable elections.

The problem of Venezuela is central not only for Venezuelans, but also for the region and the United States. It will become a very important issue in the new administration as well as in this administration.

(In other news: What are the consequences of the EU no longer recognizing Guaidó?)

Would the Biden government support a negotiation with Maduro, as Senator Marco Rubio showed?

We’ve always said a negotiated exit would be the best, a negotiated solution that includes free, fair and verifiable elections, offering opportunities to all Venezuelans. (…) We also need to work with the countries of the EU, the Lima Group and others to put more pressure on the regime to make room for negotiation, dialogue and conversation, but that they are true, that they are only one thing to consider: elections and election conditions (…) That is the central issue, and it is not about opening up a small space for the press to release some people from prison.. Not that. You have to do everything, it is a set of all the minimum conditions for elections and elections on the calendar. That would be a negotiation that really matters.

ANDREÍNA ITRIAGO
CORRESPONDENT OF THE TIME
CARACAS

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