OAS chief denounces Maduro ‘intimidation’ of Venezuela’s Guaido
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — The head of the Organization of American States on Thursday denounced “intimidation” against Venezuela’s self-proclaimed acting president Juan Guaido after he alleged threats were made against his family.
Guaido — who is recognised by the United States and major regional powers — said in a speech in Caracas that the security forces, which remain loyal to President Nicolas Maduro, had gone to his house asking for his wife, Fabiana.
“We strongly condemn the intimidation against President Guaido and his family on the part of the repressive forces of Venezuela’s illegitimate dictatorship,” tweeted Luis Almagro, secretary general of the Western Hemisphere-wide body.
“This is the ‘dialogue’ of Nicolas Maduro; we expect no democratic country to be part of this,” he said, referring to the leftist leader’s offer to speak to the opposition.
Guaido, the 35-year-old president of the National Assembly said he had a 20-month old daughter at home and would be holding the FAES security service accountable for “whatever they do to my baby”.
Already in economic meltdown, Venezuela is in the midst of a political crisis sparked by Guaido’s challenge to the authority of Maduro. He is seeking to force him from power so he can set up a transitional government and hold new presidential elections.
Two days ago, the United States, Guaido’s main backer, warned the Maduro regime against harming the opposition leader.
In a show of defiance, Guaido said he would go home after his speech but called on fellow deputies, diplomats and supporters to join him “to find out what FAES wants.”
He has the support of the US and a dozen Latin American countries, while the European Parliament also said on Thursday it was recognising him as interim president.
Maduro is however backed by the country’s powerful military, as well as the regimes in Russia and China that provide financial support.
Maduro has offered to engage in dialogue with the opposition but Guaido rejected that as he views the socialist leader as illegitimate.
