UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres yesterday appealed for dialogue to stop Venezuela’s political crisis spiraling out of control, after Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaido declared himself the nation’s interim president.
“What we hope is that dialogue can be possible, and that we avoid an escalation that would lead to the kind of conflict that would be a disaster for the people of Venezuela and for the region,” he said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.
The US, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Canada and other countries on Wednesday endorsed Guaido’s declaration in repudiation of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, although Mexico and Cuba stood firm in support of Maduro — as did the nation’s military — as more protests rocked the country.
Photo: AFP
“I swear to formally assume the national executive powers as acting president of Venezuela to end the usurpation, [install] a transitional government and hold free elections,” the 35-year-old Guaido told a throng of cheering supporters.
Within minutes, US President Donald Trump issued a statement declaring Maduro “illegitimate” and calling the National Assembly “the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people.”
Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez said that the top military leadership would come out yesterday “in support of the constitutional president.”
The military would show “backing for the sovereignty” of Venezuela, he added.
Thousands of Venezuelans abroad — from Madrid to Lima to Santiago — also welcomed Guaido’s pronouncement.
“Sovereign governments have the possibility to decide whatever they want,” Guterres said on a Facebook Live broadcast from Davos. “What we are worried [about] with the situation in Venezuela is the suffering of the people of Venezuela.”
In a statement, Guterres’ office said he was also “concerned over reports of casualties in the context of demonstrations and unrest in Venezuela,” and called for a “transparent and independent investigation of these incidents.”
The announcement from the head of the opposition-led assembly came amid violence that has killed at least 13 people this week, according to a toll by the Venezuelan Observatory of Social Conflict.
A furious Maduro responded by breaking off diplomatic ties with the “imperialist” US government, giving its diplomats 72 hours to leave. The US Department of State said it did not recognize Maduro as president so his order meant nothing.
“Get out. Leave Venezuela, here there’s dignity, damn it,” Maduro shouted to the cheers of thousands of supporters outside the presidential palace in Caracas.
Guaido retorted with an open letter urging foreign powers to maintain their diplomatic presence.
In Washington, a top administration official issued a stern warning to Maduro’s regime not to use force against the opposition.
“If Maduro and his cronies choose to respond with violence, if they choose to harm any of the National Assembly members ... all options are on the table for the United States in regards to action to be taken,” the official said.
In Brussels, EU Council President Donald Tusk said that “unlike Maduro,” the National Assembly has “a democratic mandate from Venezuelan citizens.”
“You have all our recognition to launch the return of democracy to the country,” Organization of American States Secretary-General Luis Almagro told Guaido.
French President Emmanuel Macron yesterday voiced support for Venezuela’s opposition and said that Europe favored “the restoration of democracy” after the “illegitimate” election of Maduro in May last year.
Russia stood by Maduro, calling him the legitimate leader and denouncing the opposition’s “usurpation of power.”
Guiado’s declaration came shortly after the Venezuelan Supreme Court — dominated by Maduro loyalists — ordered a criminal investigation of the National Assembly for trying to depose the president.
Thousands of Maduro supporters, many wearing red, converged outside the presidential palace, Miraflores, to oppose what they see as a US-backed opposition coup attempt.
However, elsewhere in Caracas, tens of thousands of opposition supporters chanted: “Guaido, friend, the people are with you.”
Taiwan has experienced its most significant improvement in the QS World University Rankings by Subject, data provided on Sunday by international higher education analyst Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) showed. Compared with last year’s edition of the rankings, which measure academic excellence and influence, Taiwanese universities made great improvements in the H Index metric, which evaluates research productivity and its impact, with a notable 30 percent increase overall, QS said. Taiwanese universities also made notable progress in the Citations per Paper metric, which measures the impact of research, achieving a 13 percent increase. Taiwanese universities gained 10 percent in Academic Reputation, but declined 18 percent
RETHINK? The defense ministry and Navy Command Headquarters could take over the indigenous submarine project and change its production timeline, a source said Admiral Huang Shu-kuang’s (黃曙光) resignation as head of the Indigenous Submarine Program and as a member of the National Security Council could affect the production of submarines, a source said yesterday. Huang in a statement last night said he had decided to resign due to national security concerns while expressing the hope that it would put a stop to political wrangling that only undermines the advancement of the nation’s defense capabilities. Taiwan People’s Party Legislator Vivian Huang (黃珊珊) yesterday said that the admiral, her older brother, felt it was time for him to step down and that he had completed what he
BULLY TACTICS: Beijing has continued its incursions into Taiwan’s airspace even as Xi Jinping talked about Taiwan being part of the Chinese family and nation China should stop its coercion of Taiwan and respect mainstream public opinion in Taiwan about sovereignty if its expression of goodwill is genuine, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said yesterday. Ministry spokesman Jeff Liu (劉永健) made the comment in response to media queries about a meeting between former president Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) the previous day. Ma voiced support for the so-called “1992 consensus,” while Xi said that although the two sides of the Taiwan Strait have “different systems,” this does not change the fact that they are “part of the same country,” and that “external
UNDER DISCUSSION: The combatant command would integrate fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups to defend waters closest to the coastline, a source said The military could establish a new combatant command as early as 2026, which would be tasked with defending Taiwan’s territorial waters 24 nautical miles (44.4km) from the nation’s coastline, a source familiar with the matter said yesterday. The new command, which would fall under the Naval Command Headquarters, would be led by a vice admiral and integrate existing fast attack boat and anti-ship missile groups, along with the Naval Maritime Surveillance and Reconnaissance Command, said the source, who asked to remain anonymous. It could be launched by 2026, but details are being discussed and no final timetable has been announced, the source