By Alejandra Garcia on January 24, 2023
Maduro addresses thousands of Venezuelans on day of democracy.
“As of today, every January 23 we will commemorate the victory of the people of Venezuela against Yankee imperialism and its defeated coup d’état,” Nicolás Maduro said Monday to a rally of people who gathered to demand an end of sanctions imposed by the United States and for bringing to justice those who plundered the country’s funds for their own benefit. The mobilization of thousands coincided with the 65th anniversary of the overthrow of the dictatorship of General Marcos Pérez Jiménez, who headed an authoritarian regime between 1952 and 1958, and whose end opened the democratic and republican era in Venezuela.
It should be remembered that four years ago, the faker Juan Guaido proclaimed himself president in Venezuela, cradled by the U.S. government and “recognized” by at least 50 countries. But now, there are hardly any memes left on that gray stage of the right-wing puppet, who never cared a bit about the Venezuelan people. At the end of December, even the right-wing of the South American country terminated the “interim government of Guaido.”
The decision, approved with 72 votes in favor, 29 against and 8 abstentions, fractures the unity of the opposition coalition and dismantles the strategy supported by the United States, some Latin American and European governments during the last four years of trying to overthrow President Nicolás Maduro, and sends the right scrambling back to the drawing board with the 2024 presidential elections on the horizon.
The backing offered to Guaido allowed the Venezuelan opposition to access important public resources abroad, such as the control of Citgo, a subsidiary of the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela in the United States, and to obtain a favorable ruling in the High Court of London, which recognized Guaidó’s legitimacy and like thieves in the night handed him control of over US$2 billion in gold held in the Bank of England whose legitimate owner was the Central Bank of Venezuela. Not a single penny was destined for the people.
“In March 2019 alone, the ‘security and defense of democracy program’ that was in Guaido’s budget had US$35 million. Then they approved another budget of US$50 million. And we wonder, where has that money gone and got it?” Venezuelan sociologist Juan Manuel Trak questioned during an interview with BBC London.
Now Venezuela will go after them to demand the removal of sanctions against the legitimate government of President Nicolas Maduro. “We have only one destiny, the people in the streets conquering victory. Here we are, the sons of Hugo Chavez, to go against the sanctions. We are in resistance,” the leader said.
Despite the great failure of Guaido and the embarrassing recognition by the right wing, the challenges are still enormous and the aggressions against the main leaders of the country and against the people do not cease. With many questions about his security Maduro decided to refuse to attend the VII Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) that opened today in Buenos due to a plan elaborated by the neo-fascist right wing to carry out a series of aggressions against the Venezuelan delegation, which would be headed by him. Obviously Maduro took the high ground to ensure that the important CELAC meeting was not derailed by his appearance.
According to an official statement, “the intention is to put on a deplorable show in order to disrupt the positive effects of such an important regional meeting, and thus contribute to the discrediting campaign -already a failure- that has been launched against our country by the North American empire.”
Thus, in order to avoid acts that distract attention from the Summit, the decision was made that the Venezuelan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yván Gil, would represent the South American country.
No matter how big the blows are, Venezuela remains characterized by a dignified people. It is a revolution that keeps alive the rebellious spirit of January 23. It is that powerful unity of the People that rescued democracy and it emerges every time the Homeland is threatened. “Our sovereignty will never again be betrayed,” Maduro concluded.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – US