Rick Scott, US Senator: "It is very important not to let Venezuela become Syria"

The US Senator Rick Scott baderted Monday in Bogota that Venezuela can not be converted to another Syriawhile describing the oil country's situation as a "genocide"

"It is very important not to let Venezuela become Syria"said the former governor of Florida, in a joint statement with the Colombian president, Iván Duqueat the end of a meeting as part of a meeting organized by Concordia, a think tank that promotes public-private partnerships to promote development.

The Concordia Forum brings together political, economic and academic leaders in Bogota for two days to discuss the region's main problems. like the crisis in Venezuela, the use of new technologies and the fight against drugs.

Senator Scott, Governor of Florida between 2011 and 2019, added that The Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro is a tyrant who "must leave now" of his country.

"The situation is genocide, many people, children, die at the hands of Maduro"Scott added.

At least 371,222 people have died since the beginning of the revolt of the Syrian people on March 15, 2011, announced last March the Observatory of Human Rights in his country, warned could exceed 570,000among civilians, fighters on all sides, detained and disappeared.

Venezuela has experienced a spike in political tension since last January, when Maduro swore a new six-year term not recognized by the opposition and by the international community, for which the president of the National Assembly (AN ), of majority of opposition, Juan Guaidó, He was proclaimed interim president of the country a few weeks later.

The United States was the first country to recognize Mr. Guaidó as the head of the state and since then tried to put pressure on Maduro with the revocation of visas to Venezuelan authorities and sanctions against Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa), the main source of money for the Chavez regime.

In addition, the President of the United States, Donald TrumpHe insists for months "all options", including military, "are on the table" to solve the situation in Venezuela.

A few weeks ago, Scott himself called for military intervention in the Caribbean country: "There remains only one option to help the people of Venezuela, and no one wants to talk about it, it becomes apparent that we will have to consider the use of US military means to bring help, "said the senator, April 11, in a speech in Washington.