The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, asserted this Saturday that the Government of the United States (USA) sabotaged the process of dialogue with the country’s opposition that was taking place in Mexico.
In an interview with the Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet, broadcast by teleSUR, the head of state stated that the kidnapping of diplomat Alex Saab by the US, illegally detained in Cape Verde, was what led to the breakdown of the dialogue.
“We discussed this with the US Government. The opposition itself, its coordinator Gerardo Blyde, spoke about it in Washington with the State Department and they gave him and us guarantees that they were not going to take Alex Saab, our diplomat, so that the dialogues continue to be fruitful, “he explained.
The president recalled that Saab was included as part of the Venezuelan government delegation in the dialogue process and they expected him to participate by videoconference. “Now the US has stabbed the talks in Mexico in the back,” he said, after stating that the talks were on the right track and that they were going to bring great news to the country when the diplomat was kidnapped.
“Why did they do it? Why do they sabotage a dialogue that is fruitful for the country, that is going to give results to Venezuela and that is going to give peace and the institutionality of our democracy?”, Questioned the Executive and He added that there must be “great changes in the matter with the kidnapping of Alex Saab for us to return to Mexico.”
Covid-19 pandemic
The head of government commented that the presence of the Omicron variant in the world warns that the coronavirus has not yet ended and that “it is here to stay until further notice.”
“We have the 7 + 7 method that allowed us to ride the time of this year 2021, with the arrival of the Covid-19 variants to the country (…) With respect to other countries such as the US and Europe, Regarding the number of infections and deaths, Venezuela has had exemplary control over the pandemic, “he stressed.
In addition, he reiterated that the US coercive measures, blockades and economic persecution against Venezuela reached the point where “all vaccine companies in the world were threatened with sanctions if they sold us vaccines. The US Government. He threatened all companies in the world, then they said it was a lie. “
“We did our part intensely and we managed to obtain all the vaccines that the country needed this year (…) We are vaccinating from 2 years of age, which will give us a more powerful protection for our population,” he explained and specified that the percentage of vaccinated reaches 90 percent.
The president assured that they have not renounced biosecurity measures to prevent more infections, and hopes that in 2022, with the vaccination of 95 percent of the population, “we will have a quiet country, deploying freely, working with its social life moderately normalized, and enjoying great happiness. “
Economic recovery
The president highlighted that the country has made progress in economic recovery with its own productive engines, demonstrating that the Venezuelan people have the industrial and technological capacity and the knowledge to move forward.
Despite the more than 400 coercive measures applied during the administration of former US President Donald Trump, the Venezuelan head of state indicated that “we have been progressively implementing measures to free the productive forces in a war economy scheme.”
“We have recovered economic growth. In the second half of 2021 we are experiencing growth of 7.5 percent. The economy with its own engine has taken the path of economic growth (…) The greatest achievement of all this has been defense of our economic model, thinking of the most vulnerable “, he clarified.
He recalled that the coercive measures caused the Venezuelan State to lose 99 percent of its income, going from receiving 54,000 million dollars in a year to 600 million, as a result of the persecution of oil and the country’s bank accounts.
“Venezuela has four months in a row with single-digit inflation. Today we can say (…) that the country is leaving the state of hyperinflation as a result of the economic war and sanctions,” he announced.
In oil matters, he affirmed that the experience of Venezuela will remain as one of the most cruel crimes that has been attempted to be committed against a people.
“Venezuela is reaching one million barrels a day of oil production (…) The goal for next year is 2 million barrels a day,” he clarified, mentioning the recovery of more than 90 percent of the petrochemical industry.
Triumph in regional elections
The Executive recalled the triumph of the revolutionary people in the regional elections of November 21, despite the various adversities that arose along the way. He also highlighted that the Venezuelan opposition obtained three of the 23 governorships, as well as 108 of the 335 mayoralties in dispute.
“Despite these circumstances, we had a great victory. We won 65 percent of the mayors and municipal councils in the country; we won 80 percent of the governorships with their own and renewed leadership,” he stressed.
President Maduro stated that, “after all the war they have waged against Venezuela, how is it that the Bolivarian and Chavista forces obtain this tremendous victory? In Venezuela we have held 29 elections in 22 years, and this is victory number 27 “.
International policy
The president affirmed that Trumpo could have left the US Presidency, but “the empire remained intact” and asserted that “in relation to Venezuela, everything has remained the same, the persecution. There has been no sign of rectification of these cruel measures “.
“Who knows when and with whom the possibilities of a direct, courageous, sincere and understanding dialogue with the US will open up. I wish it were with the Joe Biden Government; if it goes well, and if not, we will continue with our battle” he commented.
He also highlighted the change in Latin America in the presence of more progressive governments and the departure of right-wing and neoliberal presidents. “Venezuela was always at the forefront, it is our historical truth (…) Now a second wave is taking place, different from the first, but with an anti-neoliberal cut.”
