Juan Guaidó: "Our commitment is to put an end to this tragedy experienced by Venezuelans"

The president in charge of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, declared to the Voice of America that Nicolás Maduro no longer governed the country in crisis, because he was unable to solve the problems that Venezuelans are facing every day.

He explained his commitment to Venezuela: "Our commitment is to find the transition, to stop this tragedy experienced by Venezuelans".

Q: First of all this weekend, you talked about new calls or new calls for international cooperation with China and the United States. He even asked his ambbadador to the United States, Carlos Vecchio, to meet the head of Southern Command. What does this meeting cover? What do you mean by Southern Command cooperation or strategic support?

JG: This has to do with the means, with alternatives for Venezuela. What we can not confuse either and that our allies certainly make, in this case the United States, neither Europe nor the Lima group, is to confuse the objectives with alternatives, with means, with means to reach them. What is the goal of Venezuelans today and our allies? Democracy, freedom, just causes, thanks to truly free elections. Once the usurpation has stopped and that a transition is built, which implies a reinstitutionalization. In this sense, we Venezuelans have done everything and also our allies in cooperation.

Remember the protection of badets, remember the sanctions, remember also the great mobilizations not only in 2019, but for years we have made sure that Venezuelans have built a majority in Parliament. All these means have been used to achieve a goal. This is why sometimes we Venezuelans also say "good but we have not reached", because of course we want to live in dignity, what we want is to live in freedom. our country, not only to dream that the light will return to Venezuela, as we are right now without electricity or that there is water, for God in the 21st century, but also that the Venezuelan can have access to the purchase of a house, buy a vehicle, study, imagine that today is in Venezuela (…) Then, in this context, when we talk about international cooperation, let's explore all alternatives and all options, as President Trump himself said, in this case: reach to find a solution and guide us in the objectives.

Q: In the same event in which you made this announcement, many people shouted what is called in Venezuela Article 187. This is a false belief or can it be interpreted as a false promise that could bring down this Southern Command cooperation? support for the troops, support for the military?

JG: It's an alternative. Again, it would be worth knowing which is the best alternative. I said that even on Saturday it is better to be faster. Why faster? Because today, Venezuelans pay a considerable social cost. There are seven million Venezuelans in a complex and complex humanitarian situation. It is only recently that the cover of a European newspaper representing a face of seven million, seven million at the risk of dying, has been validated by the Secretary General of the United Nations (Antonio) Guterres.

Then we have four million Venezuelans in migration. So when we say that, it's because we have to re-evaluate all these solutions in a responsible way. The best is that it was today, the one that happened today. That would be the best solution, but we know that, to do this, we came back to the moment when we built the majority, where the regime showed its true face, weakened, exhausted, n 39, did not respect the Constitution, did not recognize the world, but we must move forward. In a responsible way, we asked Carlos Vecchio to explore this message he had made public to Admiral (Craig) Faller and thank him for his willingness, as well as our allies, to collaborate in the search for a solution to the Venezuelan crisis.

Q: Regarding the call for Chinese diplomacy to try to find a peaceful solution to the Venezuelan crisis, but the contact group. What interest can China have, which has been the main lifeline of the Venezuelan executive, with loans of $ 50,000 million to support the option you propose and not continue to support the president? in dispute Nicolás Maduro ?.

JG: Actually, what I said, it is that he received with joy the message of the Chinese government, because the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Beijing spokesman is are pronounced in favor of a solution to the crisis in Venezuela. In the last communication, they stated that it was good to think that this solution could be approached through the contact group.

Thus, even today, China, which would have been financed at one time, has carried out projects in Venezuela, which certainly does not lend a new dollar to Maduro since 2016 because it has never been approved. by the national parliament. They have always respected Parliament and this must be said in this sense, even China today is clearly in favor of a solution.

Q: Is China afraid of not paying you?

JG: I think the problem with China is not that they do not pay you. There is a surplus in this very large economy. I think it has to do with the word that has been promised, with the recognition of all future contracts and alliances, I think it goes further than anything else.

Q: Two weeks have pbaded since this military uprising at La Carlota Air Force Base and many theories have been developed around this day. You said that some people who had promised to do something in the end did not do it. Do you think you also failed or not?

JG: No, we are committed to Venezuela. Our commitment is to ensure the transition, to put an end to this tragedy that we are living in Venezuela and to this group, all Venezuelans, we are always there, insisting, and we will not stop doing it.

We must now insist on the importance of the armed forces, because apart from their participation at the end of the usurpation, which could facilitate the process very quickly, it will be the transition and reconstruction of Venezuela, because independently what is happening today, we will have to exercise our sovereignty in Venezuela, because today the situation on the border is very complicated. The penetration of ELN on Venezuelan soil (…) I spoke a few days ago with President (Iván) Duque (of Colombia) and it is very serious, not only the extraction of gold, the open operations that they perform in the construction of clandestine takeoff landing runways for drug trafficking, then the aradadas forces must have, they are going to have a role in the exercise of sovereignty in Venezuela. So in this whole process, you have to talk to them clearly.

Q: Is the army overestimated? Is the army in Venezuela so important to be able to use the alternative chosen by the Venezuelan opposition?

JG: Yes, it is a fundamental process for the termination of the usurpation. I believe that today, it is obvious who holds or still holds Maduro, to such an extent that the Cuban army has been watching over the Venezuelan army speech They were triggered there four or five days ago, "he said. It was not like that.

It is the military that participates in the intelligence process and, once again, in the process of exercising sovereignty and governance, the security of citizens and the security of national sovereignty are fundamental to this process.

Q: It has been said that Vladimir Padrino López, Venezuelan Defense Minister, would be in talks or negotiating with you, he would collaborate in this uprising, but today he is represented with Nicolás Maduro and continues to swear allegiance. Have not you been able to sell your option to the military or the amnesty does it not encourage you enough to admit the route you have traced or borrow this route?

JG: We did not offer any consideration to the military, that's important. Obviously, there is a guarantee and a guarantee for the complex process that we are living in Venezuela, which is a dictatorship and we know that there are groups, not all members of the Armed Forces, but that some groups fear for their guarantees. We say that we will respect the state of the rights. Of course, we want to strengthen, rebuild, renew the legal security in Venezuela, give guarantees to all the troops and in particular to the armed forces that clearly support a part of it to Nicolás Maduro Moros who has a role to play in this process. look at the transition and reconstruction of Venezuela will be fundamental.

Q: As you say part of them, do you think that most of them are expecting a change in Venezuela even though they are described by Nicolás Maduro?

JG: No, I do not think so, I am absolutely sure that the majority of the country and the armed forces are desperate, not just waiting, but because there is a change in Venezuela.

Q: And if the army does not give in? Are the Venezuelans condemned to continue with Maduro for the coming years, with Maduro or whoever the new figure of Chavismo?

JG: Venezuelans have a lot of alternatives. Today, what has no other alternative is the regime that has no way of solving the problem of water, light, which has no way of solving the problem of water. public transport, which has no way of seeking funding because they do not trust them, do not have support and respect for citizenship.

We Venezuelans have a problem which is the dictatorship represented in Nicolás Maduro and which has thousands of problems, by the thousands, the problems of dictatorship are counted.

Q: Why did Nicolás Maduro not fall?

JG: To want to preserve their interests and try to generate fear among citizens. I will give a simple example: today, they want to close the national parliament, they want to kidnap me as well as all the leaders of the opposition. We are all put in a cell today and even the most rebellious Venezuelans and those who go most to the vanguard, the journalists close them, censor them in all channels.

Tomorrow, Maduro will not be able to solve a Venezuelan problem for a simple reason, for a simple reason.

P: But he has the power …

JG: But no, but it does not exercise, it does not govern, it does not solve the problems, it does not serve the citizen, the problem will be when the Venezuelans win. We want to win soon, we already want to get out of it, we want to not only dream of recovering our fundamental rights to life, but also to start a family, to have a house and to be able to have a vehicle and enjoy it with the family. (…) We are not only fed up with Venezuelans of this situation, but we have built the capabilities, we have alternatives of international cooperation, we have division and we want the armed forces to unite around of the Constitution, and today we have a Maduro who remains even more without international allies, so it is only a matter of time before Venezuela celebrates its victory, which is democracy and freedom.

Q: Among the alliances you have, there is certainly that of the Lima group that has given you strong support and recently asked Cuba to take part in the dialogue to seek peaceful democratic solutions. How much can Cuba play in your favor? How many guarantees can Cuba be given to chart the way forward for Venezuela to regain democracy? And in another case, if Cuba supports the army, what is the point of this crisis in Venezuela being solved?

JG: To see Cuba depended a lot on Venezuelan oil. We cut off this cargo of oil in Cuba, knowing that it was the funding mechanism of these military forces or intelligence counter-intelligence. It took several steps. The penalties are due to our allies, insurers and transport companies and this shipment has been very limited. They were insufficient and the Lima group exhausted their efforts, knowing that they are not in good faith, because if they had acted in good faith, it had happened.

They would no longer suffer from a dictatorship that would help to build, in addition, to corrupt with technique, with mechanism, with intelligence, with persecution. What our allies are telling you is that you are no longer intervening in Venezuela, it is not only the problem of Venezuela, but the whole region and the Venezuelans want to decide freely, so it's not a demand, but a request from the Latin American countries to Do not continue to meddle in Venezuela.

Q: Do you think that they will accept it, since they continue to send not only the army that Nicolás Maduro said himself during a speech, but also the cooperation agreements that they have concluded in other areas?

JG: Listen, we do not expect it to be in good faith, we do not wait until we cut the oil supply, we ask the help of our allies to make the effective measure, among other things. We have clearly denounced the presence of intelligence and counterintelligence. It will not be in good faith, we are using every means to make it happen, cutting off the supply of oil, speaking with our allies, the Lima group which has a very tough position against the dictatorship, which is not involved. more. in Venezuela, so I think it's clear. But we are also convinced that there is support. Removing this support would also facilitate the transition.

Q: By the way, let's go back to the issue of the April 30th military uprising: do you think the objectives of a population group have not been met? Have you played against your leaders, who today do not follow you, that is to say that a group of the population is disappointed with the path you have drawn. For example, have we seen concentrations of citizens increasingly rare?

JG: We have years in this process. Maybe student movement to date today, but that would be long, but recently, in 2014, we added: build majorities, earn legitimately with votes, even if we had a dictatorship and tried to cancel the national parliament. . So it is not that in 2019, there were great mobilizations, but impressive in all states. In 2019, they were simultaneous in 50 places, 53, 93 (places), by tens, but that happened in 2014, it happened in 2016 and 2017, it happens in 2019. This will not stop being so for the Venezuelan.

Q: But do you think your popularity is in danger right now?

JG: is not this a topic of popularity, it is a matter of fundamental rights and we came in and I said it on January 5th, this is not not a case of Juan Guaidó, it is not a political party affair, it is not it is a theme of a sector of society, it is a Venezuelan question, a subject of life and death, an existential question for Venezuelans, so it's good because we are the majority who want change. We will continue to be the majority to want change, we have the national Parliament, we also have international support, so those who believe that it is a topic of popularity would be far away of actual operation and I think this is absolutely intact.

Q: Incidentally, on February 23, during the humanitarian aid effort, a group of Armed Forces officers went to Colombia to support you. Many of them felt they had been neglected and did not even want to be refugees in Colombia but a kind of armed force in exile. What options are available to soldiers who are in Colombia today and have you been able to communicate with them? The Voz de América has been talking to soldiers who are currently in Colombia and have said that many of them or some of them had been lucky at the moment.

JG: No, there are 1634 people, of whom nearly 900 are military and others are members of the military family who have decided to emigrate with their families and to comply to the Constitution. This is the first thing to do. It has been several days since this happened and we have found that between 104 and 110 of them are currently in one of the places where they currently reside in Cúcuta. which involves a resolute maintenance through foundations, thanks to the Colombian government, thanks to the support of many people, we managed to have these officials there.

What are we doing immediately? An agreement will be signed with Colombia to regularize its migratory status, so that they can even work while putting an end to the usurpation which, we hope, will be very brief, where they can also have food and housing. , and I think Venezuelan migrants out of almost four million are in a very similar situation, I think that they are among those we have better because of what they represent for the armed forces .

Q: Is Colombia calm with 1634 soldiers who may not have what to do yet? Is that not what causes problems with the government of Ivan Duque who has an armed force that is not currently in Venezuela but in Colombia?

JG: No, we did the job as they say, in agreement with our friend President Ivan Duque with this agreement that we are about to sign so that, again, regulating their immigration status, they may be trained in certain areas of interest to countries once the spoofing is over, where they will have more immediate attention, where they can rest badured that they can return to work.

Q: Let's talk about Russia. Mike Pompeo will meet with Chancellor Lavrov. Do you have any knowledge of what can be discussed regarding Venezuela? Does Russia want to row on your side?

JG: Russia has legitimate interests in Venezuela. That's the first thing we should say. Why do I say it this way? Well because they have agreements and some investments especially in the oil fields legitimately under contract.

What did we do in this regard? That a government that respects the rule of law, which respects our Constitution, who wishes to ensure the legal security of businesses, that there is a lot of private investment to rebuild the country's economy , we will naturally respect all the agreements legitimately granted for Venezuela. This of course includes those from Russia.

I think it would already be clear. If anyone knows today that Maduro does not guarantee anything, that it does not protect anyone, it is precisely the investors. As the case of Russian companies in Venezuela. Today there is a contraction of 60% of GDP, an inflation of 2 million to 300% which should reach 10 million, 6 dollars per month the Venezuelan minimum wage, 4 million the migratory flow, it is more and more more difficult to find a technician specialized in different countries. areas in Venezuela. Maduro destroyed the economic apparatus, which includes the tanker.

I do not doubt that I could even facilitate the process.

Q: But have you often repeated that you fear the intervention and that you would not agree?

JG: This is of course the opinion of Russia and we respect your opinion.

Q: You are talking about the termination of the usurpation of the three-point road map that you have traced. If the usurpation does not stop this year if this year? If you are acting president next year and it is time for the Assembly to change. What do you think of your destiny, exile, prison or continue to oppose, stay acting president?

JG: I have long decided to make my life in the public service. I have done it since I went to college. Since we created a student center, we have decided to collaborate in our environment to make life easier for our people, first in our university, in our faculty, in our community and now in Venezuela. It has not changed, let alone now that I have a great commitment.

Q: Are you afraid of prison if it is not resolved this year?

JG: I've already been kidnapped twice by this diet twice. I am afraid that my daughter does not think that it is normal to live without leaving her house, without being able to have friends because they left the country, unable to hug their family because they are not, without being able to aspire to life those dreams realized in their country. It's my fear and not the latent risk that exists of course in prison and even in life.

Q: You indicate that we have little time left, but I would not like to leave without asking several questions. In the event that the transition occurs, there would be Madurist coins, there are Chavismo coins that are willing to form a government with you or, on the contrary, if you would like to invite them to the Madistas or Chavistas.

JG: I think it has become more and more obvious. Not just to make a short two year account here. Luisa Ortega Diaz, Miguel Rodriguez Torres.

P: Assets at this time.

JG: Hugo Carvajal, General of the Cristopher Figuera Division, General of Aviation who was a mixed company in Cuba (Ramón Rangel). Each time, the most dissident voices of Chavism are called critical. I'm talking about two years to this day. We could tell the detachment of Chavismo.

I have personally met with ministers from what they call critical chavism, all of knowing that we are all needed in society. We can not deny a part of the country that exists, that will exist and that is there. On the contrary, there must be a guarantee of democracy, of participation, as long as there are no human rights violations.

Q: By the way, the words Amnesty and Reconciliation cause problems in some areas of society. Do you believe that this amnesty and this reconciliation can break the justice, that is to say that there is no justice for the people who collaborate in the restoration of democracy, 39, ie people who collaborate but who have been denounced for other types of crimes, humanity or crimes?

JG: It is not a reconciliation without justice, there is no peace without justice. We always said it. The only thing that does not deserve amnesty or that can not generate guarantees is precisely the violation of human rights, crimes against humanity.

Q: I was wondering what your fate is if the spoofing does not stop this year? I do not know if this year, but we are pbadionate about the fate of Nicolás Maduro, the current president of Venezuela, will he be in prison, in exile or side by side? of the opposition?

JG: Maduro served as dictator.

Q: A dictator deserves prison, deserves exile?

JG: Venezuela deserves justice, peace in Venezuela, Venezuela deserves freedom, prosperity, progress. There have been many cases like this one in the world, we can talk about Pinochet or Marcos Pérez Jiménez, we can talk about some others. So the best destination is for Venezuela, focusing on a man, on a person, it's a step back towards the goal and the means.

Q: Is the fate of Maduro not defined right now? Do you have to stop what you call usurpation?

JG: The (destination) of Venezuela is defined, that is freedom and democracy.

Q: In Venezuela, you hear that the biggest sin of a politician is not to aspire. Do you want to aspire to the presidency of Venezuela and end the transitional government, incurring in elections to formally aspire to the presidency?

JG: I aspire to serve my country always and that my actions and my actions lead to the rebuilding of a country. To speak at this time of candidacies, when we have to work for the cessation of the usurpation, to build the transition, to reinstitutionnalize the country, I think it would be strong, what I can say, it is that the opposition will present a candidate.

Q: You have a family, you are only 35 years old. How much does it cost to be acting president with only 35 years old?

JG: It is a great commitment that we have taken with responsibility, understanding the suffering of our people, understanding our aspirations as a society, as Venezuelans, as people wishing to change the course of a country . If concentrated, the important thing is to be focused and think of future generations.

Q: Is there any willingness to offer troops for Venezuela, ie when all options are discussed are on the table, is this a title, or is it what really all options are on the table, including military support?

JG: That would be an answer for another country, but we heard the President of Ecuador, Lenin Moreno, talk about the Roldos doctrine. We heard President Trump say that all the options were on the table, that is, the options proposed by the Allied Presidents.

Q: Thank you very much for supporting this conversation with us. Pleasure.