Venezuela's Maduro slams US threats on 21st anniversary of anti-Chavez coup plot
The Venezuelan president has lashed out at the US over its interference in the Central American nation as millions throng the streets across the capital Caracas to mark the 21st anniversary of a US-backed coup attempt against the late president Hugo Chavez.
Speaking to the massive crowd gathered at the Miraflores Palace to mark the event on Thursday, Maduro censured US pressure tactics to influence negotiations between his government and the opposition after the two sides had held rounds of reconciliation talks over a range of contentious issues.
Maduro revealed that an American spokesperson had threatened the government in Caracas that if Venezuela failed to advance in political dialogue with the opposition political alliance of Plataforma Unitaria, Washington would bring retaliatory measures and sanctions against Caracas.
“To that American spokesperson, I say, gringo spokesman, get the hell out because Venezuela is respected. We do not accept threats from the government of the United States. Here we are standing on our own efforts and we will continue to advance by our own efforts," Maduro underlined.
"No imperialist spokesperson has yet been born that is able to intimidate Venezuelans in the struggle for our land, for our future, for the great homeland in which we believe and which we are building,” he added.
#InPictures | With a great national mobilization, political, union, and youth organizations in Venezuela remember the popular victory over the 2002 coup d'état. pic.twitter.com/pFgBkO464C
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) April 13, 2023
The negotiations between Caracas and the opposition first began in August 2021 before a 15-month hiatus. They resumed briefly in November 2022 after Washington eased some sanctions on the Venezuelan government.
Maduro’s remarks came as Venezuelans celebrate the Bolivarian National Militia Day, which honors the popular mobilization that defeated the 2002 US-backed coup attempt against the Chavez government.
On April 13, 2002, thousands of citizens and military officers took to the streets to demand the release of Chavez, whom US-backed opposition had kidnapped and imprisoned two days earlier. After being warned about the massive scale of the protests, however, the coup leaders swiftly fled and Washington’s plot was thwarted.
Maduro has repeatedly condemned Washington’s role in masterminding a “coup” against his own government as well, further blaming the US for the economic crisis in Venezuela.
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