A senior US diplomat has made a bold demand that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro should step down and let a new leader take over after the controversial July election. Francisco Palmieri, the head of the Venezuelan Affairs Unit at the US embassy in Colombia, says Maduro must recognize his opponent Edmundo González as the real winner of the election before January 10. If he doesn’t, Palmieri warns that even harsher sanctions will be placed on Venezuela.
Palmieri’s comments come after Maduro was declared the winner by Venezuela’s election officials in July, but many people, including the opposition and most Western countries, believe the election was rigged. According to these claims, González actually won by a large margin, but Maduro still declared victory.
Palmieri is not mincing words. He says if Maduro stays in power, things will only get worse for Venezuela. “If he doesn’t respect the will of the people,” Palmieri warns, “the country will continue to suffer more economic problems, lose its international credibility, and the people will get more frustrated.”
The US diplomat says that the US is ready to introduce more sanctions and take stronger action against those who continue to support Maduro’s government. These actions could make life even more difficult for the country, both at home and internationally.
Meanwhile, Maduro has stuck to his claim of winning the election. The Venezuelan Electoral Council announced in late July that he had secured nearly 52% of the vote. But the opposition doesn’t buy it, insisting that González won with 67%. This disagreement has caused serious tension both inside and outside of Venezuela.
González, who is the opposition leader, fled the country after the election due to criminal charges, including sabotage and conspiracy. Although he’s facing an arrest warrant, he’s been given safe passage to Spain. However, he’s not backing down and says he plans to return to Venezuela by January 10 to take the presidential oath.
In a public speech in Madrid, González made it clear he’s determined to return and take the country back. “You don’t go to war with fear,” he said defiantly. “I’m convinced I will find a way to return to Venezuela and take over as president.”
As tensions rise, the world is watching to see whether Maduro will accept the opposition’s claims and step aside, or if Venezuela will continue to spiral into further chaos.
