Chancellor of Brazil accused Cuba of "maintaining dictatorship of Maduro"

The Chancellor of Brazil, Ernesto Araújo, accused Cuba on Thursday of "maintaining the dictatorship of Maduro" in Venezuelaand noted that Caracas support in Havana "is part of the problem" and needs to be taken into account.

Brazil coincides "totally" with the view of the United States that Cuba has a negative influence on democracy in Venezuela.A, said Araújo at a press conference in Washington, where he reviewed, this week, the Venezuelan political crisis with senior officials of Donald Trump's administration.

"We fully agree that Cuba has a role, an unfortunate role, to play in keeping Maduro's dictatorship in power and that this is part of the problem and that it must be remedied. " He said when he was asked questions about it.

"Maduro would probably no longer be in power if it was not supported by Cuban forces in Venezuela, so it's an important part of the problem." It is very regrettable that Cuba supports such a regime."he added.

On Friday, US Vice President Mike Pence said at an event in Miami, home of the anti-Castro exile, that Maduro had lost support from Venezuelans. "begins to lose the support of the army", and that if he continues to cling to power, it is thanks to the help he receives from "Communist Cuba."

Cuba was one of the first countries to grant "strong support" to Maduro on January 23rd.Shortly after, Juan Guaidó, president of the democratically elected Venezuelan Parliament in 2015, proclaimed himself acting president by invoking constitutional powers.

Guaidó, which favors the holding of new "free and fair" elections, has been since then recognized by some 40 countriesamong them, the United States, Brazil and the majority of the European Union, who ignore the new mandate of Maduro, which began on January 10, on the grounds that his reelection was fraudulent.

Close relations between Venezuela and Cuba began with the late Venezuelan leader Hugo Chávez, president between 1999 and 2013, and supposed to be an economic lifeguard for the island after a period of economic constraints after the fall of the Soviet Union, his trading partner.

After the inauguration of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro in early January, Araujo met with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, and the two promised to build "a much more intense partnership" between their countries and fight together against "authoritarian regimes", like those of Cuba and Venezuela.

Trump said that "all options are on the table" "restore democracy" in Venezuela, but Araújo has ruled out military intervention.

"Brazil is convinced that by political and diplomatic means we can really promote a democratic solution"he remarked.