Foreign
VENEZUELA’s President Nicolas Maduro called on his nation’s military leaders Tuesday to prepare for war with the United States of America, US, days after the President Donald Trump’s administration banned Venezuelan officials from entering the country.
“We have been shamelessly threatened by the most criminal empire that ever existed and we have the obligation to prepare ourselves to guarantee peace,” said Maduro, who wore a green uniform and a military hat as he spoke with his army top brass during a military exercise involving tanks and missiles. “We need to have rifles, missiles and well-oiled tanks ready….to defend every inch of the territory if needs be,” he added.
The Trump administration has taken a hard stance against Maduro’s regime by banning money lending to Venezuela’s government or its state oil company PDVSA, and passing sanctions against him and his top officials.
Maduro referenced the sanctions during his speech at the military base. As he spoke, Russian military plans flew in the sky as part of the training exercise, Agence France-Presse reported.
“The future of humanity cannot be the world of illegal sanctions or economic persecution,” he said.
It’s unlikely he has the manpower to stand up to the US, which has a much larger military. Maduro has maintained power in Venezuela despite mounting political and economic crises that has seen months of violent, anti-government demonstrations across the South American nation.
Vladimir Padrino, defense minister, has backed Maduro during the upheaval, but some critics have begun a whisper campaign suggesting that the military could break away and support a coup against the president, Herbert Garcia, a former senior army general and minister, told Reuters in August.
There have been three attempted military coups in Venezuela since 1992.
Russia has defended Maduro in recent months, going so far as to accuse Trump of preparing for an invasion of Caracas. “We are strongly against unilateral sanctions against sovereign states,” Maria Zakharova, Russian foreign ministry spokesperson, said in August.
“We will carefully analyse the implications of the sanctions imposed by the United States, and their possible effect on the interests of Russia and Russian businesses. We can already say that they will not affect our willingness to expand and strengthen cooperation with the friendly nation of Venezuela and its people.”
Trump directed his penchant for insulting world leaders toward Venezuela during a United Nations speech earlier this month. He said Washington could intervene in Venezuela to help its citizens “recover their country.”
“We cannot stand by and watch,” he said.
Maduro oversaw a disputed election earlier this year to muzzle the elected national assembly by creating “constituent assembly” in its place.
Sept. 27, 2017 @ 17:05 GMT |
Tags: Nicolas Maduro Reuters United States of America Venezuelan President urges Military to Prepare for War with US
