Maduro warns US of ‘repeat of Vietnam’ if it sends troops to Venezuela
Embattled president’s threat comes as EU nations urge new elections and recognize opposition chief Juan Guaido amid worsening humanitarian crisis
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro warned US President Donald Trump he risked having “a repeat of Vietnam in Latin America” if he sent US troops to help settle a political crisis in the country.
The embattled Maduro, whose years in power have seen Venezuela sink into an economic crisis that the UN estimates has led as many as three million Venezuelans to flee the country and brought on widespread food shortages, has refused to step down despite accusations that his country’s most recent election was rigged.
“Stop. Stop, Donald Trump! Hold it right there! You are making mistakes that will leave your hands covered in blood. You will leave the presidency stained with blood,” Maduro said Sunday evening in an interview with the Spanish television station Sexta.
“Why would you want a repeat of Vietnam in Latin America?”
Spain, Britain, France and other EU nations on Monday recognized Venezuela’s opposition chief Juan Guaido as interim leader after Maduro rejected their ultimatum a day earlier to call snap presidential elections.
Russia, one of the main allies of Maduro’s regime, slammed what it dubbed European “interference” in the oil-rich but impoverished Latin American country, saying it was an attempt “to legitimize usurped power.”
Already recognized by the United States, Israel, Canada, Australia and several Latin American countries, Guaido is trying to force the socialist leader from power, aiming to set up a transitional government and hold new presidential elections.
After announcing the Spanish government’s official recognition of Guaido, Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged the 35-year-old National Assembly head to “call elections as soon as possible, elections that have to be free and democratic.”
Sanchez said he wanted Spain to spearhead a plan of humanitarian aid for Venezuela in the European Union and United Nations.
British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt promptly followed suit, saying on Twitter he hoped “this takes us closer to ending humanitarian crisis.”
France, Germany, Portugal, Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland and the Netherlands also recognized Guaido.
“Venezuelans have the right to express themselves freely and democratically,” French President Emmanuel Macron tweeted.
‘Confrontation’
Seven EU states had given Maduro a Sunday deadline to call presidential elections or they would recognize Guaido.
But in the interview with Sexta, Maduro said he would not “cave in to pressure” from those calling for his departure.
“Why does the European Union have to tell a country in the world that has already had elections that it has to repeat its presidential elections, because they were not won by their right-wing allies?” said Maduro, interviewed in Caracas.
“They are trying to corner us with ultimatums to force us into an extreme situation of confrontation,” Maduro said.
Maduro started a new term in office last month after 2018 elections that were branded invalid by the opposition.
He has said he is only willing to call new elections to the opposition-held National Assembly.
However, he supported plans for a meeting of Latin American and EU states in a “Contact Group” meeting in Montevideo next Thursday.
Humanitarian crisis
On Monday, oil prices rose to their highest level yet this year on European markets on the back of the crisis in Venezuela.
After several years of opposition efforts to oust Maduro, Guaido declared himself acting president at a rally on January 23.
Over the weekend, he called on the army to allow in humanitarian aid from the United States via neighboring Colombia and Brazil.
Maduro claims the US pledge to deliver $20 million in aid relief precedes a military intervention.
Guaido says up to 300,000 people are “at risk of death” in Venezuela for want of humanitarian assistance.
Trump warned that military intervention remains “an option” for dealing with the crisis in Venezuela.
All eyes are now on Venezuela’s military, which has so far been Maduro’s main pillar of support, but there have been signs of wavering in the ranks.
A top air force general publicly sided with Guaido on Saturday.
On Sunday, Maduro addressed troops on military exercises, calling on them for “maximum cohesion.”
