Juan Guaidó Believes Biden Will Maintain Pressure Against Maduro Dictatorship

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Despite speculation regarding the policy that Democrat Joe Biden will pursue in response to the Venezuelan crisis once he assumes the presidency of the United States, Juan Guaidó is confident that the U.S. president-elect will sustain maximum pressure against the dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro.

Likewise, the interim president of Venezuela said on Tuesday, November 24th, that he hopes to retain U.S bipartisan support as Biden prepares to take power in January 2021.

Donald Trump’s government led Guaidó’s international recognition as Venezuela’s legitimate leader in 2019, part of a strategy to push Nicolás Maduro from power amid a severe economic and humanitarian crisis and a migration wave of over five million Venezuelans.

Guaidó, also president of the National Assembly (Parliament), controlled by the opposition, stated in an interview to Reuters agency in his home in Caracas that he believes that Biden “like any president in the world today, would like to reach a solution to the crisis in Venezuela”.

“Why? Because unfortunately Venezuela is today in a conflict at the level of Syria”, said the opposition leader.

Despite Trump’s accusations during the electoral campaign, Biden’s advisors said that the Democrat does not plan to change Washington’s approach with respect to Maduro’s dictatorship, which since last year includes sanctions on oil trading, widespread bans on doing business with his regime, and personal sanctions on the Chavista leadership.

But Biden may be under pressure to ease restrictions that limit Venezuela’s ability to buy gasoline abroad, amid the crippling fuel shortages that often prevent basic economic activity.

Maduro, who maintains military support at home, says Guaidó is a U.S. “puppet” and claims that the sanctions imposed by Washington are illegal and holds the U.S. responsible for the country’s economic crisis.

Guaidó said he was confident that the Biden government would retain a strong hand against Maduro, whom he called a “dictator, marked by crimes against humanity” and “a threat to the continent”.

Achieving stabilization in Venezuela would be a “geopolitical achievement” for the country and the whole region, he noted.

During a visit to Miami last October, as part of his electoral campaign, Biden declared that Maduro “is a dictator, plain and simple. He is causing incredible suffering to the Venezuelan people,” and in light of this, he considered that Venezuelans need the support of the United States “to recover democracy and rebuild the country”.

In September, a statement from the Democratic leader’s campaign team outlined his goals for the Latin American country: “I will organize the international community to provide a solid solution to Venezuela’s humanitarian crisis, hold Maduro and the regime’s supporters accountable for corruption and human rights violations, and lead international efforts to press for free and fair elections.”

In February 2019, Biden called on governments around the world to declare their support for Guaidó as the interim president of Venezuela with the goal of achieving a democratic transition at the Miraflores Palace.

“Only a tyrant would prevent the delivery of food and medicine to the people he claims to lead. The international community must support Juan Guaidó and the National Assembly. It is time for Maduro to step aside and allow a democratic transition. The Venezuelan people deserve better,” he said.

Source: Infobae