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(United Nations) – Venezuela's political clash moved to the United Nations on Saturday when the United States Security Council convened a Security Council meeting convened by President Nicolas Maduro against the Trump government and supporters of the United States. self-proclaimed interim leader of the country, Juan Guaido.
The US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, addressed the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Jorge Arreaza, and other members of the council, including supporters of the two duel presidents.
The session on the Venezuelan crisis comes one day after Guaido vowed to stay on the street until his country had a transitional government, while Maduro enlisted and accused his opponents of orchestrating a coup.
"They can cut a flower, but they will never prevent the arrival of spring," Guaido told his supporters on Friday, citing a similar phrase from Chilean poet Pablo Neruda.
At competing press conferences, Guaido urged his supporters to hold another mbad protest next week as Maduro pushed his call for dialogue. Every man seemed ready to defend his claim to the presidency at any cost, Guaido telling his supporters that they were arrested, they should "stay the course" and protest peacefully.
But the standoff could pave the way for more violence and plunged Venezuela into a new chapter of political unrest that, according to human rights groups, has already left more than two dozen dead while thousands of people are demanding the resignation of Maduro.
Guaido's discussions with reporters in a square in Caracas have become a de facto gathering, as thousands of people have gathered after announcing that he would be speaking in public for the first time since that day. He was sworn in as the country's constitutional leader on the pretext that President Maduro was re-elected last year. was fraudulent.
The government of President Donald Trump announced that he was recognizing the opposition-controlled Speaker of the National Assembly shortly after his oath, leading Maduro to declare that he was breaking off all relations diplomatic relations with the United States.
French, Spanish and German leaders stepped up pressure on Maduro on Saturday, saying they will also recognize Guaido unless Venezuela convenes new presidential elections within eight days.
Guaido's decision is the most direct challenge against the Maduro government, despite years of protests from us and international efforts to isolate the regime in a context of growing humanitarian crisis fueled by falling oil prices and bad weather. government management.
Maduro accuses the opposition of working with the United States to overthrow him. Although more than a dozen countries and the Inter-American Development Bank recognize Guaido's presidency, Maduro still enjoys the support of the military and powerful long-time allies such as Russia and China and pledges to defend its socialist regime.
"This is nothing more than a coup, commissioned, promoted, financed and supported by the US government," Maduro said Friday. "They intend to set up a puppet government in Venezuela, to destroy the state and take colonial control of the country."
But he added that he was always willing to speak with the opposition even though he "had to go naked".
The dialogue was attempted last year by both parties, but this one collapsed as a result of early elections organized by Maduro. The most popular opposition leaders in the country have been prevented from running. Many members of the international community have condemned this vote and now consider the National Assembly dispossessed of its power, the only legitimate institution.
The Security Council's Saturday session took place despite Russia's objection to focusing on Venezuela, according to US diplomats. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that US actions were an "obvious call for a coup d'etat", threatening peace, diplomats said.
The US Mission in Venezuela has asked that the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Arreaza, be inscribed on the list of speakers, and well – informed Council diplomats have stated that it is unlikely to be there. objection.
Russia tried to block the debate by a procedural vote, but the United States received the minimum of nine votes to be able to move forward.
The impbade reigns in the face of the international community's concern over the crackdown by the state security forces in these times of political unrest.
The office of the head of human rights, Michelle Bachelet, said Friday that there is credible information that security forces or members of pro-government armed groups have shot dead at least 20 people during protests on Tuesday and Wednesday. and called for an investigation. The total figure is probably higher: according to the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict, 21 people were shot dead during demonstrations and looting on Wednesday and Thursday, in addition to five deaths confirmed Tuesday by the authorities.
The human rights group Penal Forum says that 369 people have been arrested since Monday.
"The international community is watching more closely than ever before, so Venezuelan security forces – and their commanders – must know that they will be held accountable for any abuse," Human Rights Watch's director told IRIN on Twitter. Jose Miguel Vivanco. .
American and Venezuelan diplomats find themselves trapped. On Wednesday, Maduro gave US diplomats 72 hours to allow them to leave the country. Washington had promised to keep the embbady open, even though it had ordered its non-essential staff to leave.
On Friday morning, a caravan of black SUVs escorted a contingent of US ambbadadors and their families to Caracas airport. They were later seen checking an American Airlines flight.
Meanwhile, Maduro recalled all Venezuelan diplomats from the United States and ordered the closure of the country's embbady and consulates. Guaido, seeking to circumvent Maduro, urged all American and Venezuelan employees to remain in office.
In the midst of tension, the United States on Friday named Elliot Abrams, a former Republican hawk in charge of US policy toward Venezuela.
Maduro did not suggest that he was ready to give up power. He called Friday Guaido "an agent of the gringos of Venezuela", using a term sometimes pejorative for the Americans. But he also said he would be willing to talk with US President Donald Trump and the opposition.
"I'm not anti-American," he said. "I am anti-imperialist."
Guaido, in his remarks earlier Friday, said he would be willing to talk to any party wanting to discuss the restoration of democracy, but other than that, he said there would be more protests.
"There will be people on the street," said Guaido, "until we get freedom."
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