By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Representatives of Venezuelan opposition leader
Juan Guaido have taken control of three of the
country's diplomatic properties in the United
States, Guaido's U.S. envoy said on Monday, as the
opposition presses its bid to oust socialist
President Nicolas Maduro.
The envoy, Carlos Vecchio, said the opposition had
gained control of two buildings belonging to
Venezuela's defense ministry in Washington and one
consular building in New York. He added that the
group expected to take control of Venezuela's
embassy in Washington "in the days to come."
Guaido, president of the opposition-controlled
National Assembly, invoked the constitution to
assume an interim presidency in January, arguing
that Maduro's May 2018 re-election was
illegitimate. He has been recognized as
Venezuela's rightful leader by most Western
countries, including the United States.
"We are taking these steps in order to preserve
the assets of the Venezuelans here in this
country," Vecchio said from one of the buildings,
the office of Venezuela's military attaché in
Washington, after removing a portrait of Maduro
from the wall and replacing it with one of Guaido.
U.S. State Department spokesman Robert Palladino
told reporters the United States was "pleased to
support these requests."
In a statement, Venezuela's foreign ministry
called on U.S. authorities to "take the necessary
measures to immediately reverse this forcible
occupation" of its diplomatic offices. It said the
transfer of possession violated international law
on the protection of diplomatic properties.
Maduro, who has branded Guaido a U.S. puppet
seeking to oust him in a coup, broke off relations
with Washington after it recognized Guaido,
calling diplomatic and consular staff back to
Caracas.
Of 55 staff members, 12 decided to remain in the
United States and support Guaido, Vecchio said on
Monday. He added that his staff would work out of
the attaché building, which is in the upscale
Kalorama neighborhood and has an assessed value of
$2.2 million, according to Washington property
records.
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A.M. Costa Rica wire services
photo
US Vice President Mike Pence meet
with Venezuela's self-declared interim
president and opposition leader, Juan Guaido
in Bogota.
Vecchio spoke alongside Colonel Jose Luis Silva,
Venezuela's military attaché to Washington who
recognized Guaido on Jan. 27.
Few other high-ranking members of the military
have heeded Guaido's call to break with Maduro,
who retains the support of the armed forces and
control of state functions.
On Monday, two sources familiar with the matter
told Reuters an army general had defected and fled
to Colombia. Vecchio said he was confident that
Venezuela, which is undergoing an economic and
humanitarian crisis, was in "an irreversible
process of change" but that "it won't come
easily."
The United States withdrew all its remaining
diplomatic personnel in Venezuela last week.
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Venezuela's socialist state is
failing, yet Democrats in the U.S. are calling for
more socialism. We would like your thoughts on
this situation. Send your comments to: news@amcostarica.com
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