Venezuelan National Assembly President Juan Guaido on Saturday told a large crowd of cheering expatriates in Miami that he would soon make his return to Caracas from an international tour, bringing with him the “world’s backing” to oust Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
“We have a plan. We have a strategy,” Guaido said. “We’re not alone, and we’re going to restore democracy.”
However, the opposition leader bent on unseating Maduro presented few details for executing this plan upon returning, referring to additional sanctions as a major strategy available.
Guaido’s visit to Miami rounded out a two-week world tour that took him first to Colombia, then across Europe and Canada, where he held meetings with a list of world leaders.
He delivered a message that Venezuelans are pressing for freedom from a “dictator,” but they need help.
A key meeting absent from Guaido’s trip was with his most important ally, US President Donald Trump, who earlier in the day tweeted a picture of himself golfing at his Florida Mar-a-Lago club, saying he was “Getting a little exercise.”
When asked about a possible meeting with Trump, Guaido said: “Stay tuned,” but he also said he was already preparing his return to Venezuela.
An estimated 3,500 people crowded into a Miami convention center to hear Guaido, the most promising opposition political figure to surface in years with the chance of ending two decades of rule launched by the late Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.
Guaido urged the crowd to remain unified and to resist, despite living away from Venezuela. “All options are on the table, but also under the table,” Guaido said. “There are things that are not talked about. All necessary actions will be used to finally liberate Venezuela.”
Before the rally, Guaido met with James Story, charge d’ affaires for the Venezuela Affairs Unit of the US Embassy in Bogota.
He also mingled with Venezuelans who have fled their homeland for the US over the past two decades.
US Senator Rick Scott was among those on stage with Guaido as well as several Venezuelan lawmakers living in exile.
US Senator Marco Rubio said on Twitter that he would be meeting with Guaido.
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