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President Joe Biden’s administration will continue to recognize Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as the South American country’s president, Anthony Blinken, Biden’s nominee for secretary of state, stated on Tuesday.
Blinken told members of the U.S. Senate that Biden would seek to “more effectively target” sanctions on the country, aiming to oust President Nicolas Maduro, the country's democratically elected leader.
Blinken went on to say that the incoming administration would look at more humanitarian aid to the country.
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The United States, along with dozens of other European and right-wing Latin American countries, recognized Guaido - the former leader of Venezuela’s opposition-held National Assembly - as the country’s president in January 2019, claiming that Maduro’s 2018 re-election was somehow "undemocratic."
“We need an effective policy that can restore Venezuela to democracy, starting with free and fair elections,” Blinken said.
Hey I thought democrats were supposed to be the smart ones like the characters in West Wing show. Surely this was said just to get Blinken confirmed. He cannot be that dumb. Guaido is supported by 3% of the population & even the Europeans dumped him. https://t.co/tTW81WuksR
— Ajamu Baraka (@ajamubaraka) January 20, 2021
Guaido’s US-orchestrated push to oust Maduro has proved to be a complete disaster, ranging from multiple failed coup attempts, charges of embezzlement and corruption, and the recent exposure of billions of dollars Guaido holds in various European bank accounts.
The Venezuelan government maintains that Guaido, a U.S.-puppet seeking to oust him in an ongoing coup, and moderate centrists of Venezuela's opposition have expressed a desire to engage in negotiations with the Biden administration after years of tensions and escalating U.S. sanctions.
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