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News > Latin America

Venezuelan President Maduro Rejects US Interventionism in UN General Assembly Speech

  • Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., Sept. 26, 2018.

    Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro addresses the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., Sept. 26, 2018. | Photo: Reuters

Published 26 September 2018
Opinion

The Venezuelan leader is expected to deliver his General Assembly speech later Wednesday. 

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro rejected interventionism and recalled that his country has given birth to one of the world's most important independence leaders Simon Bolivar who led wars against the Spanish colonialists in several countries in the region. 

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"I bring the truth of a country that has not surrendered, a historic town that resisted colonial empires in centuries past, I bring the voice of a people who have the honor of being the birthplace of the Liberator Simón Bolívar," Maduro said addressing world leaders attending the 73rd UNGA session. 

"Our nation is a country that is harassed and attacked. Yesterday, in this very place, the president of the United States of America spoke once again against the noble people of Venezuela."

He also spoke of the "illegal sanctions" against his government and how the U.S. is using its currency to strangle the Venezuelan economy. "Today, the leader of the U.S. announced new actions against our country. The use of the domination of the exchange rate is illegal from the perspective of international law."

He went on to say that such conflict between his government and the U.S. administration goes beyond the current issue to a more historical confrontation between imperialism and the struggle for sovereignty. "Why the attack so ferocious by Trump against Venezuela? It is a historical conflict, it is the imperialist doctrine of domination of the Monroe Doctrine against the doctrine of justice and liberty that Simon Bolivar bequeathed us."

Maduro also touched on the subject of the attack he survived in August with drones and explosives and how the perpetrators had links to U.S. allies. The Venezuela leader also spoke of the recent media report about a coup attempt plan against his socialist government. On Sept. 8, the NewYorkTimes published evidence that links U.S. officials in the planning of a coup against the government of Venezuela."

However, despite all the aggression by the United States and its allies, Maduro said he "would be willing to shake hands with the president of the United States to discuss the issues of our region. I am willing to discuss with him any topic that he is willing to address, with honesty and humility."

He also extended his solidarity to the Palestinian people and their struggle against Israeli occupation and abuses as well as their fight for statehood. 

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Earlier in the day, Maduro said via Twitter Wednesday afternoon he was landing in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. "I come to the General Assembly of the United Nations to defend the truth about Venezuela, to bring the voice of our country," the president said on Twitter, in a video from the plane.

He asserted that he arrived in New York "full of passion and truths so that the entire world knows that Venezuela is standing up. ... I also come to receive the solidarity of governments and peoples."

The news comes hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he would be open to meeting his Venezuelan counterpart as a response to Maduro’s invitation a day earlier during a speech in Caracas.

Maduro met several world leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA including Iranian President Hasan Rouhani in which the two leaders spoke about bilateral ties and issues related to solidarity among countries in the Global South. He also met the Jamaican Prime Minister and the Russian Foreign Minister Sergi Lavrov who are also attending the UNGA.

Maduro will give a press conference shortly after his speech at the Assembly. 

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