The head of the US Southern Command is clear on what the strategy for exiting the crisis in Venezuela should be.

Unprofitable

September 19 2024, 8:59 pm

General Laura Richardson, head of the US Southern Command, reaffirmed this Thursday the commitment of Washington and its allies to reach a “diplomatic and political solution” to the crisis in Venezuela, which has worsened since the July 28 elections in which Nicolás Maduro was elected the winner.

Richardson spoke with Foreign Minister Luis Gilberto Murillo and Defense Minister Iván Velázquez Gomes during an event at the residence of Colombian Ambassador to the United States Daniel García-Pena Jaramillo.

The military official began his remarks by highlighting the United States' cooperation with countries in the region, such as Colombia, which he calls “group democracies” to share the same values ​​and work together to address security challenges in the region.

When asked about the situation in Venezuela, Richardson again referred to this “democratic team” as a fundamental part of the solution.

“What happened in Venezuela has severely affected the region for years, causing millions of people to flee. “We continue to work as part of the global 'democracy team' to support a diplomatic and political solution for Venezuela,” he said.

The United States is maintaining close cooperation with its Latin American allies to resolve the situation in Venezuela. Washington's strategy focuses on finding ways to counter Maduro's permanence in power while continuing to provide support to the Venezuelan opposition.

Also on Tuesday, Secretary of State Antony Blinken pledged to “continue to defend the return of democracy in Venezuela” to former Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia and main opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) announced Maduro's re-election in the presidential election on July 28 without releasing voting records, and the results were questioned both inside and outside the country.

The main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unity Platform (PUD), led by Machado, is claiming a victory for its standard-bearer, González Urrutia, whose victory has been recognized by the United States.

González Urrutia recently went into exile in Spain after protesting judicial and political persecution in Venezuela, but Machado says the candidate will be sworn in as president on January 10. EFE