Venezuelan – News Agency nabakhabar

Russian-Venezuelan intergovernmental commission being prepared

News Agency nabakhabar — Mon, 18 May 2020 00:35:35 +0000

Russia and Venezuela are working to organize a regular meeting of the high-level intergovernmental commission, a videoconference format is not ruled out, Russian Ambassador to Venezuela Sergei Melik-Bagdasarov told TASS on Sunday.

“The Russian-Venezuelan high-level intergovernmental commission is the key mechanism of the implementation of bilateral projects. The sides have begun to prepare its 15th meeting. It is not ruled out that it will be held in the videoconference format, as has become typical of today,” he said.

According to the Russian diplomat, the commission’s working groups will address arrangement issues. “We will continue to work on joint projects with our Venezuelan friends, not waiting until the coronavirus pandemic is over. I am sure we will emerge from the pandemic fully prepared,” he said.

After a visit to Venezuela and talks with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in February, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the next session of the high-level commission on trade and economic cooperation between Russia and Venezuela were planned for May 2020.

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Venezuela ‘failed coup plot’: What we know so far

News Agency nabakhabar — Wed, 06 May 2020 19:56:50 +0000

The Venezuelan government said this week it foiled an armed incursion from the sea, killing a group of alleged mercenaries who sought to assassinate President Nicolas Maduro and spark a coup.

Authorities blamed the alleged plot on the United States and said a number of “terrorists”, including two former US soldiers, had been arrested.

The incident came at a time of high tensions between the US and Venezuela.

The US is among nearly 60 countries that back opposition politician Juan Guaido as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. It has also imposed tough economic sanctions against Caracas in an effort to force Maduro, whom it accuses of having rigged elections in 2018, to step down.

Here is what we know so far about the events of recent days:

What happened?

Maduro’s government initially said eight people were killed as they tried to enter the country on May 3 via the Caribbean coast to topple the president. The Associated Press news agency said officials later revised the number of the suspects killed to six.

Interior Minister Nestor Reverol said the attackers tried to land on speedboats before dawn on a beach at Macuto, about an hour north of Caracas, but were intercepted by the military and special police units.

According to Reverol, the group, which departed from neighbouring Colombia, planned to carry out “terrorist attacks”, including assassinating officials.

He added the plan aimed “to increase the spiral of violence, generate chaos and confusion … and with that lead to a new attempt at a coup d’etat”.

Who was involved?

Venezuelan authorities said they had arrested 13 “terrorists” involved in the incident, including the son of a prominent imprisoned general.

In a televised address on Monday night, Maduro also showed what he said were the passports and other identification papers belonging to two former US army members: Airan Berry, 41 and Luke Denman, 34.

According to The Associated Press, military records showed both were decorated soldiers who served in Iraq.

Maduro described the pair as “members of Donald Trump’s security” and said they were captured in a boat west of Caracas along with six other “terrorists”.

Who was behind the alleged incursion?

On Sunday night, Jordan Goudreau, a US military veteran who leads a Florida-based security company, SilverCorp USA, claimed responsibility for the incursion.

He said he was working with two US citizens in an operation designed to capture, not kill, Maduro and “liberate” Venezuela.

Goudreau said he had organised the raid on a “shoestring budget” after signing an agreement with the US-backed Guaido, whom Goudreau accuses of failing to pay him.

Maduro tied the alleged plot to Guaido and Colombia’s right-wing President Ivan Duque.

Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab shared on social media a video in which Goudreau says an operation against Maduro involving hired mercenaries was under way.

Saab also showed an alleged contract that said SilverCorp USA had a $212m agreement with Guaido using funds “stolen” from state oil company PDVSA, whose US subsidiary, Citgo, was put under the opposition leader’s control.

Reaction

Guaido denied having any relationship with Goudreau and any involvement in the incursion.

He also cast doubt on the Maduro government’s version of the events.

“They’re trying to create a state of apparent confusion, an effort to hide what’s happening in Venezuela,” Guaido said, citing local issues – such as petrol shortages, a deadly prison riot and a violent gang battle – in a country that has been gripped by deepening social, political and economic crises.

President Donald Trump said the US had no part in the incident.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, echoing Trump, said: “The United States government had nothing to do with what’s happened in Venezuela in the last few days.”

The State Department accused the Maduro government of a “highly questionable representation of the details”, saying it did not accept the account at face value and was seeking more information.

Reacting to Trump’s denial, Venezuela’s Information Minister Jorge Rodriguez showed a photograph of Goudreau next to Trump.

He claimed the photograph was taken on October 18, 2018 in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it appeared on Goudreau’s Instagram account.

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Russian, Venezuelan diplomats to discuss efforts towards political dialogue in Venezuela

News Agency nabakhabar — Sun, 05 May 2019 08:05:36 +0000

International mediatory efforts to promote dialogue between the Venezuelan government and opposition will be in focus of talks between the Russian and Venezuelan top diplomats on Sunday, the Russian foreign ministry said on Saturday.

“The sides will exchange views on the situation in and around Venezuela following the attempted coup in that country, as well as on the prospects for political and diplomatic settlement of differences within the Venezuelan constitution and options for international mediatory efforts towards promoting dialogue between the government and the opposition,” the ministry said.

The two ministers, Sergey Lavrov of Russia and Jorge Arreaza of Venezuela, will also discuss “steps to be done to expand the Russian-Venezuelan comprehensive partnership on the global arena, to invigorate efforts of the informal groups of nations to protect the goals and principles committed to paper in the United Nations Charter and counteract the illegally imposed unilateral sanctions that have adverse impacts on the socio-economic situation in that country”, the ministry said.

Apart from that, they will touch upon the implementation of the practical agreements reached by the Russian-Venezuelan intergovernmental high-level commission at its meeting on April 4-5.

Grass-roots anti-government protests resumed in Venezuela on Tuesday after some of the country’s top brass had sided with opposition leader Juan Guaido. Four persons were killed and hundreds were hurt during riots.

Situation in Venezuela

In the recent years, Venezuela has been living through an acute socio-economic crisis amidst hyperinflation and devaluation of the national currency unit. The situation deteriorated in 2019 following a hike in frictions between the government and its political opponents.

Juan Guaido, Venezuelan opposition leader and speaker of the National Assembly, whose appointment to that position had been cancelled by the country’s Supreme Court, declared himself interim president at a rally in the country’s capital, Caracas, on January 23. On the same day, the United States recognized him as an interim president, and the countries of the Lima Group (excluding Mexico) and the Organization of American States followed suit. Venezuela’s incumbent President Nicolas Maduro blasted the move as an attempted coup and announced cutting diplomatic ties with the United States.

Most European Union member states recognized Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president. Russia, Belarus, Bolivia, Iran, China, Cuba, Nicaragua, El Salvador, Syria and Turkey voiced support for Maduro.

On April 26, the US Department of the Treasury imposed sanctions against Jorge Arreaza, Venezuela’s foreign minister since 2017.

tasnimnews

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Venezuelan Deputy FM: Military Forces to Remain Loyal to Maduro

News Agency nabakhabar — Sun, 03 Mar 2019 22:44:53 +0000

“The government and its leadership are also ready to defend the country if attacked. Venezuela’s peaceful history shows that we will defend our country to our last men,” Molina said in an exclusive interview with the Tasnim News Agency.

The full interview is as follows:

Tasnim: Thank you very much for taking the time for the interview with Tasnim. What is the purpose of your visit to Iran and your meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif?

Molina: Our meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif was a very good meeting. In this gathering, we exchanged views and information about the conditions that we have been put into by imperialism, those favoring imperialism, and their friends in Latin America and the European society. Iran has a very important position in terms of international geopolitics and leadership, and has been always respected during these 40 years after victory of the Islamic Revolution. Iran has been always respected in political and diplomatic terms for defending human rights at the United Nations. The measures taken by the (Venezuelan) opposition was even in violation of the international law and the United Nations Charter’s laws. In the conversation with Dr. Zarif, we discussed the establishment of peace in Iran, in Venezuela and around the world.”

Tasnim: Would you please specify what issues you discussed? Has Venezuela asked Iran for help? Iran and a number of other countries like Russia, Turkey and China have supported Mr. Maduro’s government and have issued statements against the riots and unrests.

Molina: Yes. Venezuela has had and will always have growing and developing ties with these very important countries like Iran, Russia, Turkey, and China. Apart from the countries that you mentioned, which have been always at the forefront of supporting Venezuela, a series of countries in Africa, Asia, Caribbean, Latin America and Oceania have also voiced their support (for Venezuela). I have announced earlier and stress again that safeguarding the international law is in fact safeguarding peace, and supporting peace is also support for Venezuela, and if the international law and peace and Venezuela are supported, the independence of Venezuela and its right to determine its own fate and sovereignty will be in fact protected.”

Tasnim: In the last few days, we have seen that the US has been trying to force its so-called “humanitarian aid” into Venezuela, and its attempts have failed. Many countries have condemned these attempts and say the US is pursuing some evil goals by the move. What is your opinion about this?

Molina: It’s totally false and wrong to suggest that they (the US) want to give humanitarian aid to Venezuela. Humanitarian aid is offered in a situation where a country is either in a civil war or in a foreign war. Any country has the right to accept it or not. We do not need any humanitarian aid in Venezuela, and we are not in a war situation that even any aid would be suggested. Each country has the right to accept it or not. Venezuela also has the right not to accept.

The United States imposes a series of unilateral compulsory measures on Venezuela. Sanctions on Venezuelan banking accounts have led to the blockage of Venezuela’s $30 billion and problems in buying medicines and food, and therefore the US wants to show that Venezuela is now in need of the humanitarian aid because it is in these conditions. They (the US officials) have created these conditions, themselves, and they want to say that Venezuela needs humanitarian assistance. These sanctions do not allow the country to properly proceed with its accurate plans to provide food for its people. They have created these sanctions and now, they want to say that the country needs humanitarian assistance.

If the imperialist countries really want to help us, they should free the $30 billion that they blocked. In fact, that would not be assistance but a right that all countries should have and respect others’. If they really want to help, they should not interfere in Venezuela’s economy, politics and foreign relations.

Tasnim: You spoke about interference. Recently, we saw that John Bolton, the White House’s national security advisor, on his twitter account, called on the military to join the people and stand against Maduro. How do you assess the interference?

Molina: First of all, we condemn all these calls by Mr. John Bolton because he is not in a position and has not the right to interfere in the internal affairs of another country, and here, we are asking him to stop interfering in the internal affairs of another country and instead, deal with his own domestic affairs.

Tasnim: Mr. Bolton said that in case a regime change happens in Venezuela, the US oil companies can work in the country.

Molina: This is exactly what North America (the US) wants, which is to bring its oil companies to Venezuela with the goal of plundering natural, oil, gas, gold, diamond and mineral resources and gaining access to them. According to our constitution, we are responsible and will maintain our God-given natural wealth. We do not accept this blackmail by the United States, which sends its agents to Venezuela in order to plunder our wealth. Under international negotiation and legal terms we are open to win-win cooperation in international level, but we will never accept the opposition’s terms like what Mr. Bolton wants.

Tasnim: We are witnessing how the pro-US Western media are trying to magnify the differences between the military forces and the Venezuelan government. John Bolton for example has specifically mentioned that four military figures were separated from the army and recommended others to do the same. How do you assess this? Will Venezuelan army back Mr. Maduro?

Molina: This (difference) is totally false. National Army, National Bolivarian Armed Forces of Venezuela, Navy, Air and National Guard have always been loyal and stood firm under the constitution and will support the legitimate president Nicolas Maduro and we want to send this message to the international community not to be fooled by the negative propaganda that says the armed forces became separated or divided. This will never happen and the armed forces of Venezuela will always remain beside people of Venezuela and keep them secured as they stand ally to president.

Tasnim: Does Venezuela have any plans to appeal for help from other countries, including Russia, if the situation gets worse?

Molina: Venezuela is fully prepared for any attack (by the United States). It has been the target of interventions and systematic invasions for the past 20 years. We have been fighting for our freedom for 20 years. We have one motto: If we want peace, we should be ready for peace and every country that favors peace in fact favors calmness (and stability). I think Russia backs the international law and Venezuela’s armed forces are 100 percent ready (to defend their country). The government and its leadership are also ready to defend the country if attacked. Venezuela’s peaceful history shows that we will defend our country to our last men.

Tasnim: Please add anything you deem necessary to be mentioned.

Molina: Venezuela has always been pursuing peace and favors peace. Our military doctrine is based upon defense and our diplomacy pursues peace. We believe that all problems could be resolved via dialogue and discourse. We seek to promote peace and strengthen our sovereignty, and this is our right and should be supported, which means support for peace.

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3 Venezuelan troops defect at the border with Colombia

News Agency nabakhabar — Tue, 26 Feb 2019 09:46:28 +0000

The troops abandoned their posts at the Simon Bolivar International Bridge on the Colombia-Venezuela border and requested help from Colombia’s immigration officials.

Also Saturday, soldiers with Venezuela’s National Guard fired tear gas and rubber bullets at protesters who were demanding to cross the border at Ureña into Colombia to work, according to a CNN crew that witnessed the scene at the Tienditas Bridge.

Workers faced off with the soldiers, chanting, “We want to work!” before being dispersed by the tear gas. Men with shirts covering their faces started throwing rocks toward the guard.

US argues momentum for change in Venezuela is growing despite border violence

These tense scenes played out Saturday, a day after violence broke out at a Venezuelan town near the border with Brazil over aid delivery, leaving two people dead and 17 others injured, local authorities said.

Tensions are running high at Venezuela’s borders amid opposition plans to usher aid into the country this weekend in defiance of President Nicolas Maduro’s wishes.

Maduro called on Venezuelans to “mobilize” Saturday. “Let’s all take to the streets to defend our independence with conscience and joy,” Maduro said on his official Twitter account.

On Friday, a standoff occurred between a local indigenous community and the military over aid delivery near Gran Sabana,on the Brazil-Venezuela border, said the town’s mayor, Emilio Gonzalez. He told CNN the military opened fire on an indigenous group trying to facilitate the passage of aid into Venezuela.

Gonzalez said soldiers shot and killed a 34-year-old indigenous Venezuelan woman and injured 17 others.

National Assembly member Americo De Grazia said on his official Twitter feed that two people had died. The second victim was an indigenous man, according to De Grazia.

Gonzalez said indigenous guards detained 27 Venezuelan military members. Venezuela’s Ministry of Defense told CNN it had no information on the incident.

Tensions escalate over aid

Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, who invoked a constitutional provision last month to declare himself acting president, condemned the incident in a tweet Friday, saying such acts by the military “will not go unpunished.”

Richard Branson hopes concert will persuade Venezuelan military to open border

Guaido has been working with a raft of global partners to bring Venezuelans desperately needed food and medical supplies. The White House urged the Venezuelan military to allow aid into the country in a statement Friday.

“The United States strongly condemns the Venezuelan military’s use of force against unarmed civilians and innocent volunteers on Venezuela’s border with Brazil,” White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said.

“Egregious violation of human rights by Maduro and those who are following his orders will not go unpunished. The United States strongly urges the Venezuelan military to uphold its constitutional duty to protect the citizens of Venezuela. The Venezuelan military must allow humanitarian aid to peacefully enter the country. The world is watching.”

Aid is piling up on Venezuela’s border. Here’s why it’s not getting in

The violence came as dueling concerts kicked off on the country’s western border with Colombia, where aid deliveries from the United States have been languishing since Maduro blocked the Tienditas Bridge.

The United States has so far delivered batches of relief supplies to a border town in Colombia, including food and hygiene kits, ready-to-use supplementary foods and high-energy biscuits. It’s pledged $20 million to help Venezuela, and other countries including Canada, the UK and Germany have chipped in, too.

Earlier this week, Guaido named Saturday as the deadline for the aid to cross the border.

But the United States announced Friday preparations to bring aid in through another route.

“The US and its partners began pre-positioning additional humanitarian aid for Venezuelans in Boa Vista, Brazil,” the US State Department tweeted.

The aid consists of food kits “containing rice, beans, sugar, and salt to feed nearly 3,500 people for 10 days and additional rice to feed an estimated 6,100 people for one month,” a fact sheet from the State Department says.

Supporters host rival concerts

British billionaire Richard Branson sponsored a Live Aid-inspired show Friday in Cucuta, Colombia, featuring Latin American starssuch as Colombian musical legends Carlos Vives and Juanes, and reggaeton singer Maluma.Colombian President Ivan Duque, Chile’s Sebastian Piñera and Mario Abdo of Paraguay also joined the crowds.

As the aid delivery deadline approaches, the spotlight has been on Cucuta, where shipments of US aid are waiting to be delivered.

Maduro staged a rival concert a few hundred meters away on the Venezuelan side of the bridge in Tachira.

The beleaguered President, who is facing growing calls to step down, denies that a humanitarian crisis exists in his country and suggests that aid efforts are part of a US plot to orchestrate a coup.

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