In a speech on Wednesday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro accused the United States of financially backing a ”collection of crooks and liars” to undermine his government. This comes just days before Maduro is set to be sworn in for a third term on Friday, following an election that the US has labeled as undemocratic and rigged.
Maduro lambasted the US, stating:
”Every word, every little message, every act, every plane ticket – pay, pay, pay, and the outgoing US government and the US State Department is there with an open checkbook.”
His comments directly responded to the US refusal to recognize the results of Venezuela’s 2024 presidential elections.
The Venezuelan leader specifically criticized the Lima Group, a multilateral body formed in 2017 to support US efforts in isolating Venezuela, describing it as defunct.
”We confronted them, we resisted, we defeated them, and one by one they fell, they all dried up, one by one, and where is the Lima Group? Who remembers it?.”
Maduro questioned rhetorically, further branding the group as ”Sodom and Gomorrah” for allegedly supporting corrupt and criminal former leaders.
Maduro’s allegations extend to recent security concerns in Venezuela. On Tuesday, he announced the capture of seven individuals he described as ”mercenaries,” including two Americans, two Colombians, and three Ukrainians, whom he accused of planning ”terrorist actions” against the country’s infrastructure and Vice President Delcy Rodríguez.
According to the president, this group is part of a broader network, with 125 militants from 25 countries detained since November, indicating a significant threat to national security.
The US’s involvement in Venezuelan politics has been consistent since at least 2019 when former President Donald Trump supported opposition leader Juan Guaidó, who declared himself Venezuela’s ”interim president.”
Despite a change in administration, President Joe Biden’s policy has not shifted, with continued sanctions and a refusal to recognize Maduro’s legitimacy. Guaidó’s efforts to gain control eventually collapsed, leading him to seek refuge in the US by October 2023.
Maduro concluded his speech by calling for an end to what he perceives as foreign meddling in Venezuelan affairs: ”Enough of interventionism, extremism, and Lima groups.”
Sources
- Washington Post: Venezuela’s opposition put together a serious plan. For now, it appears to have failed
- Foreign Policy: U.S. Policy on Venezuela Is Converging
- World Socialist Web Site: Who is the US to preach “democracy” to Venezuela?
- TeleSUR: Venezuelan President Maduro Confirms Capture of Seven Foreign Mercenaries