Page 12 - aruba-today-20190112

A12 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 12 January 2019

Maduro foe says he’s ready to replace the president

By SCOTT SMITH Organization of American
Associated Press States in Washington.
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) In May, Maduro declared
— The head of Venezu- victory following an elec-
ela’s opposition-run con- tion that his political oppo-
gress said Friday that he’s nents and many foreign na-
prepared to step into the tions consider illegitimate,
nation’s presidency tem- in part because popular
porarily to replace Nicolas opponents were banned
Maduro, whose inaugura- from running and the larg-
tion has been rejected as est anti-government parties
illegitimate by most coun- boycotted the race.
tries in the hemisphere. Friday’s demonstration was
National Assembly Presi- the largest showing of anti-
dent Juan Guaido made government supporters in
the statement to an en- more than a year, but fell
ergized crowd blocking a far short of the thousands
busy Caracas street a day that took to the streets
after Maduro’s inaugura- over four months in 2017,
tion to a second term. leading to clashes in which
“Guaido for president!” the more than 120 died.
crowd chanted. “Out with Guaido, 35, made the an-
Maduro!” Juan Guaido, President of the Venezuelan National Assembly delivers a speech during a public nouncement less than a
But Guaido said he’d need session with opposition members, at a street in Caracas, Venezuela, Friday, Jan. 11, 2019. week after being selected
support from the public, Associated Press to lead Venezuela’s Na-
the armed forces and the it a reality.” Guaido asked But the overall military so rejected criticism of his re- tional Assembly, vowing to
international community Venezuelans to mass in a far has remained firmly be- election and whose gov- press for transition of power.
before trying to form a tran- nationwide demonstration hind Maduro, despite some ernment has imprisoned Guaido has won some in-
sitional government to hold on Jan. 23, a historically reports of small-scale at- many leading critics. ternational support, speak-
new elections to replace important date for Ven- tempts at revolt. Maduro accuses the Unit- ing by phone this week with
Maduro. ezuelans — the day when A once wealthy oil nation, ed States and local foes of U.S. Secretary of State Mike
“The constitution gives me a mass uprising overthrew Venezuela is gripped by plotting a coup. Pompeo. “We are not vic-
the legitimacy to carry out dictator Marcos Perez Ji- growing crisis of relentless Seventeen Latin American tims here. We are survivors
the charge of the presi- menez in 1958. inflation, food shortages countries, the United States and we are going to sur-
dency over the country The constitution assigns the and mass migration. and Canada denounced vive this,” Guaido said. We
to call elections,” Guaido presidency to the head of The announcement is a Maduro’s government as are here to talk about the
said. “But I need backing the National Assembly if daring challenge to the illegitimate in a measure route, because there are
from the citizens to make Maduro is illegitimate. socialist leader, who has adopted Thursday at the no magical solutions.”q

Nicaraguan supreme court justice resigns in protest

Associated Press Ortega and his wife, Vice tion to bring down the gov-
MEXICO CITY (AP) — Ni- President Rosario Murillo, ernment.
caraguan media reported are dragging Nicaragua But Solis’ letter said there
Thursday that a Supreme toward a civil war. was never a coup attempt
Court justice has resigned Solis noted the at least 325 and the government re-
with a scathing open letter people estimated by the sponded to dissent with
to President Daniel Ortega, Inter-American Commission “an irrational use of force.”
who faced down anti- on Human Rights to have Last month, the govern-
government protests last died in the violent repres- ment shut down several hu-
year by unleashing secu- sion of street protests that man rights groups and in-
rity forces and allied groups began April 18, 2018, initial- dependent media outlets.
against demonstrators. ly over since canceled so- It also expelled teams from
The letter circulating widely cial security cuts. Since the two branches of the Orga-
on social media was ac- protests were banned and nization of American States
companied by a pho- the government regained that were investigating al-
tograph of judge Rafael control of the streets, lead- legations of human rights
Solis Cerda’s government- ers and even participants violations.
issued ID. The letter’s au- of the public opposition Solis’ letter said he consid-
thenticity could not be in- have been arrested and ered resigning last year, but
dependently confirmed. A jailed. had hoped Ortega and
message to Solis was not Ortega and Murillo have Murillo would enter a genu-
immediately answered. maintained that the gov- ine dialogue with their op-
The government did not im- ernment was responding as ponents. He said sugges-
mediately comment. necessary to a failed coup tions that he offered Orte-
Solis is a long-time member Nicaragua’s President Daniel Ortega arrives to the Supreme attempt. They said foreign ga on negotiating an end
of Ortega’s Sandinista Front Court for the inauguration ceremony of Venezuelan President interests banded together to the political crisis were
party, but his letter said Nicolas Maduro in Caracas, Venezuela, Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019. with Nicaragua’s opposi- disregarded. q
Associated Press