Tension increases in Venezuela

CBC News
Venezuelan Anti-Government Protesters - James Alexander Michie

Anti-government protesters cheered Wednesday as Juan Guaido, head of Venezuela's opposition-run congress, declared himself interim president until a new election can be called. (Boris Vergara/Associated Press)

The tension has increased in Venezuela after the U.S. president backed Juan Guaido, a young leader of the opposition, who has declared himself the interim president of Venezuela.

Likewise, the president of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, was sworn in on Wednesday as interim president of the Republic of Venezuela and immediately received the recognition of US President Donald Trump.

“Today, January 23, 2019, in my capacity as president of the National Assembly, invoking the articles of the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, (…) before almighty God, Venezuela (…) swears to formally assume the powers of the executive national as the president in charge of Venezuela to achieve the cessation of the usurpation [of Nicolás Maduro], a transitional government and have free elections”, said Guaidó before hundreds of thousands of demonstrators.

The pronouncement constitutes a blow to the ruler Nicolás Maduro, whose presidency is unknown to most Venezuelans and governments of the region even though he continues to exercise control over the institutions of the Venezuelan state.

Immediate actions

After Juan Guaido was proclaimed as interim president of Venezuela, he immediately received the backing of US President Donald Trump, as well as other leaders of different nations. Likewise, Trump expressed “The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for too long at the hands of the illegitimate Maduro regime. Today, I have officially recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela

While for its part, Maduro took action regarding this support from the United States. Being that he ordered all Venezuelan diplomats from the United States on Thursday and defiantly closed the country’s embassy when relations between the two nations quickly collapsed. In fact, he made a warning, being that if U.S. officials “make any sense” they will withdraw their own diplomats from the United States Embassy in Caracas.

Maduro through an express live broadcast, “They believe they have a colonial rule in Venezuela, where they decide what they want to do”, and likewise added “You must comply with my order from the Venezuelan government”

There is no doubt that the tension that already existed between these nations has now increased dramatically. Maduro retaliated by breaking relations with the EE.UU and the US diplomats were given 72 hours to leave Venezuela.

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Source: CBC News

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