Venezuela’s Juan Guaidó: We are very close to achieving freedom
Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó told FOX Business’ Trish Regan that the uprising against disputed President Nicolas Maduro is gaining strength and the socialist country is close to attaining its freedom.
Speaking from Caracas in his first television interview since the uprising began, Guaidó said Wednesday, “As long as we are mobilized and united, we are very close to achieving our freedom.”
“I would like to tell you a specific date or a specific time, but we are working on these transitional and rebuilding processes of democracy. They have always taken time, but we have the support of the international community, the support of our constitution and the people, we are close to achieving this goal as a country.”
Guaidó also claimed Maduro is losing the support of a constituency that has been key to maintaining his grip on power — the military.
“Maduro is very weak. He doesn’t have the support of the armed forces. The past two months have shown they are not happy with the regime. What the country is going through, people don’t have enough food, there is not enough supplies. He resorts to Cuban forces to supply the armed forces and generate fear.”
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Guaidó called on public employees to stage strikes nationwide on Thursday to put more pressure on the embattled disputed president. It comes one day after clashes between forces loyal to Maduro and pro-Guaidó protesters turned violent in the capital of Caracas, leaving one woman dead and dozens injured.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Regan on Tuesday that Maduro had been ready to flee, with an airplane already on the tarmac, but was talked out of it by the “Russians.” Yet Maduro remained defiant at a socialist party rally on Wednesday, calling the whole episode “fake news,” orchestrated by the opposition and the U.S.