United States: “Lifting sanctions against Nicolás Maduro’s regime without having fundamental commitments would be a mistake”

The United States Ambassador to Venezuela, James story, returned to manifesto your support for the negotiations opened between the Venezuelan regime and the opposition; and he assured that Washington is already studying how “make changes to penalties”Imposed against the regime of Nicolás Maduro.

“We support the democratic forces of Venezuela, the Venezuelans, in this process of dialogue. We are going to assess the achievements to come and we are thinking about how to modify the sanctions, ”he said. However, he clarified: “Lifting sanctions without having fundamental commitments would be a mistake“.

“We are ready to assess the sanctions as long as there are irreversible changes in the restoration of democracy in Venezuela,” he added during the broadcast of the program “Hello Ambassador”.

Thus, Story once again supported the decision of the Venezuelan opposition leader to open a dialogue with Maduro and even supported a possible recall referendum initiative against the president because he considers that the Maduro government is not legitimate. “We support this process and we will see if anything is done that truly serves the interests of Venezuelans.“, a point.

On the other hand, the regime’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, defended the conditions of dialogue with the opposition: “The demands of President Nicolás Maduro to dialogue with the opposition are logical: respect for international law and the Venezuelan Constitution; sanctions, ignorance of powers and blocking of state resources are illegal ”.

This week, Guaidó urged the political structures he leads to take to the streets “meet people“To present the appeal National Salvation Accord, who plans to negotiate with the regime to find a way out of the country’s crisis.

“We take to the streets to present the deal and save Venezuela together. Let us go out to meet the people and call the National Salvation Accord. We cannot leave anyone behind, we must all come together, ”Guaidó said in a meeting with members of the opposition.

At the meeting, he insisted that it is “fundamental and elementary“Reach the”the greatest and best possible union“Advancing the goal of achieving political change”there is an urgent need in the country to end the growing crisis“.

The former Speaker of Parliament, who underlined that in the National Salvation Accord “all in shape“, He recalled that it must end with an electoral calendar”free and fair which includes presidential, parliamentary, regional and municipal with international observation and support“.

In addition, must include massive influx of humanitarian aid and COVID-19 vaccines, guarantees for all the actors of the democratic forces and of Chavism, “with mechanisms for the reinstitutionalization of Venezuela and the release of all political prisoners”.

It should also allow, according to Guaidó, the return of exiles and transitional justice, and in exchange offered “diet incentives“including”the gradual lifting of sanctions conditional on the achievement of the fundamental objectives of the agreementSomething that does not depend on the opponent, but on the countries that imposed them.

The former lawmaker declared that “it is not true that there is a strong dictatorship”, referring to the Venezuelan regime, in which – he stressed – (Nicolás) “Maduro does not control anything”, Despite the fact that he is the one who has full control of all the institutions under his belt.

Chavismo has grown even stronger since last January, when it returned to Parliament after five years in the hands of the opposition, after elections deemed fraudulent by a large part of the international community.

(With information from Europa Press and EFE)

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