Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Venezuelan opposition leaders Friday and expressed sturdy assist for his or her trigger amid South American dictator Nicolas Maduro’s newest crackdown on political dissent.
“Honored to satisfy with the courageous Venezuelan opposition leaders who have been targets of Maduro’s repression and tyranny,” the top US diplomat wrote on X. “Their braveness conjures up all working in direction of extra democratic futures, particularly following the arbitrary arrest of [Juan Pablo Guanipa] and over 70 people.
“The U.S. won’t waver in our assist for Venezuelans’ preventing for democracy and the secure return of all wrongfully detained People.”
Guanipa, a prime ally of jailed opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, was arrested by the Maduro regime early Friday morning.
His arrest comes forward of regional elections in Venezuela scheduled for Sunday, which the ruling authorities has accused the opposition of attempting to sabotage.
“We’re dismantling a terrorist and conspiracy community towards our nation, the elections, and the peace of our individuals,” Venezuela’s Inside Minister Diosdado Cabello mentioned on state-run tv, saying Guanipa’s arrest and dozens of others, in accordance with the Miami Herald.
Anticipating his detainment, Guanipa declared that he could also be “unjustly imprisoned, however by no means defeated” in a pre-recorded message launched by the anti-Maduro camp after his arrest..
“Brothers and sisters, if you’re seeing this, it’s as a result of I’ve been kidnapped by the forces of Nicolas Maduro’s regime,” the previous first vice chairman of Venezuela’s parliament mentioned. “For months, I, like many Venezuelans, have been in hiding to take care of my security.”
“Regrettably, my time in hiding has come to an finish. As of right now, I’m a part of the record of Venezuelans kidnapped by the dictatorship.”
The 5 opposition figures Rubio met with in Washington have been rescued from the authoritarian state earlier this month in a “precise operation” that introduced them to US soil.
They’d been residing within the Argentine ambassador’s residence in Venezuela’s capital metropolis of Caracas since March 2024 underneath risk of arrest in the event that they have been to depart.
“The Secretary counseled these leaders for his or her bravery within the face of Maduro’s relentless repression and tyranny,” State Division spokeswoman Tammy Bruce mentioned in a press release. “[Rubio] expressed his gratitude to all concerned on this operation and acknowledged the tenacity of Maria Corina Machado who stays in Venezuela.”
The US is amongst a number of nations that take into account Maduro’s leadership of Venezuela illegitimate, citing overwhelming proof that opposition determine Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia garnered much more votes than the dictator in final 12 months’s presidential election.
