• Opposition Juan Guaidó escapes from Venezuela to Colombia
  • Dissidents From Juan Guaidó to Leopoldo López, the others fleeing Chavismo

"I have no doubt that in that studied visit of (Juan) Guaidó the tickets were paid by (US ambassador) James Story, who believes himself to be the owner of Venezuela and the Venezuelan opposition." Nicolás Maduro took advantage of the broadcast of his second television program "Con Maduro +" to accuse the United States of financing the flight of the former president in charge of Venezuela, a few hours before the start of the International Conference on Venezuela in Bogotá.

Story served as Washington's ambassador in Caracas until in 2019 the government of Donald Trump recognized Guaidó as interim president. The diplomat traveled to Bogotá from where he has coordinated US interests in Venezuela, even being part of the delegation that traveled by surprise last year to the Venezuelan capital to negotiate with the Bolivarian revolution.

The "people president" included in his criticism Gerardo Blyde, head of the negotiating delegation of the Unitary Platform, whom he pointed out as heading a "sector that represents the United States in Venezuela. They are totally pro-gringos. It's very sad, they don't do anything without permission."

Jorge Rodriguez, the left-hand man of "Chavez's son," also accused Ambassador Story of boycotting the social agreement signed last year in Mexico between the two parties, under which different US agencies would remit 3.200 billion dollars of funds frozen in the country to improve hospitals, schools, roads and other public services.

"There is no way for us to return to Mexico (the main objective of the conference) if the US does not deposit the 3.200 billion dollars that they promised to return," Maduro said to pressure the 20 countries invited by Petro. The Bolivarian leader needs that monetary injection in the face of next year's presidential elections.

This was not the only condition Maduro has imposed on the international community. In a surprise move, Chavismo has also demanded that the International Criminal Court (ICC) end its investigation into crimes against humanity committed by the revolution. "Let them stop because they affect our most important leaders," said Rodríguez, aware of the firm step of the prosecutor Karim Khan against torture, extra-summary executions, rapes, arbitrary detentions and forced disappearances carried out for years in Venezuela.

In spite of everything, Maduro encouraged his ally Gustavo Petro in his effort to have the US withdraw economic sanctions. "We are in extraordinary condition. Relations with Colombia are excellent on all fronts, commercial, border and political. And we are going to continue deepening bilateral relations," Maduro concluded.

A few minutes before the presidential intervention, Foreign Minister Álvaro Leyva surprised Colombian journalists who asked him in Congress by threatening Guaidó. "If he does not appear, he runs risks because he entered inappropriately and in Colombia we comply with the laws," said the foreign minister, host of the conference scheduled for today.


  • Venezuela
  • Nicolas Maduro
  • Juan Guaidó

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