US Issues Fresh Ultimatum to Maduro
A senior US diplomat has called on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to resign before the conclusion of his current term. Read Full Article at RT.com
TroibNews 
A senior US diplomat has dismissed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's assertion of victory in the July election, urging him to resign to facilitate a power transition. He has also warned of additional sanctions if Maduro does not comply.
Francisco Palmieri, who heads the Venezuelan Affairs Unit at the US embassy in Colombia, expressed these views in an interview with Venezuela's El Nacional newspaper on Wednesday, noting that Washington currently lacks diplomatic representation in Caracas.
Palmieri emphasized that Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, should acknowledge Edmundo Gonzalez as the true winner of the election before January 10, the date set for the presidential inauguration ceremony.
While Venezuelan electoral authorities announced that Maduro defeated Gonzalez in the July 28 election, the opposition and many Western nations have asserted that the voting process was fraudulent.
“Is it the deadline for Maduro. If he stays, things will only get worse for Venezuela,” Palmieri stated in the interview.
He elaborated, “If he does not respect the will of Venezuelans, there will only be further deepening of the economic crisis, less international legitimacy, and the Venezuelan people will be increasingly frustrated in the face of a situation where the country will not be able to improve.”
Palmieri warned that Washington is likely to impose new sanctions and continue to “individually punish” individuals linked to Maduro, indicating that Caracas would encounter “many problems internally and internationally” if the current president remains in office.
In late July, Venezuela's National Electoral Council announced Maduro as the election winner, receiving nearly 52% of the votes. The opposition, however, disputes this result, claiming tally sheets show Gonzalez leading significantly with 67%.
This opposition view has been supported by the US, the EU, and several other countries. Conversely, nations such as Russia and China have acknowledged the official results and recognized Maduro's re-election.
After the polls, Gonzalez went into hiding due to multiple criminal charges, including sabotage and conspiracy. Despite an outstanding arrest warrant, he was granted safe passage out of Venezuela in September and subsequently fled to Spain.
Since then, Gonzalez has assured that he intends to return to Venezuela by January 10 to assume the presidency.
During a recent public event in Madrid, Gonzalez maintained a bold stance, asserting, “You don’t go to war with fear, which is why I’m convinced I will somehow travel to Venezuela to take over.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
Francisco Palmieri, who heads the Venezuelan Affairs Unit at the US embassy in Colombia, expressed these views in an interview with Venezuela's El Nacional newspaper on Wednesday, noting that Washington currently lacks diplomatic representation in Caracas.
Palmieri emphasized that Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, should acknowledge Edmundo Gonzalez as the true winner of the election before January 10, the date set for the presidential inauguration ceremony.
While Venezuelan electoral authorities announced that Maduro defeated Gonzalez in the July 28 election, the opposition and many Western nations have asserted that the voting process was fraudulent.
“Is it the deadline for Maduro. If he stays, things will only get worse for Venezuela,” Palmieri stated in the interview.
He elaborated, “If he does not respect the will of Venezuelans, there will only be further deepening of the economic crisis, less international legitimacy, and the Venezuelan people will be increasingly frustrated in the face of a situation where the country will not be able to improve.”
Palmieri warned that Washington is likely to impose new sanctions and continue to “individually punish” individuals linked to Maduro, indicating that Caracas would encounter “many problems internally and internationally” if the current president remains in office.
In late July, Venezuela's National Electoral Council announced Maduro as the election winner, receiving nearly 52% of the votes. The opposition, however, disputes this result, claiming tally sheets show Gonzalez leading significantly with 67%.
This opposition view has been supported by the US, the EU, and several other countries. Conversely, nations such as Russia and China have acknowledged the official results and recognized Maduro's re-election.
After the polls, Gonzalez went into hiding due to multiple criminal charges, including sabotage and conspiracy. Despite an outstanding arrest warrant, he was granted safe passage out of Venezuela in September and subsequently fled to Spain.
Since then, Gonzalez has assured that he intends to return to Venezuela by January 10 to assume the presidency.
During a recent public event in Madrid, Gonzalez maintained a bold stance, asserting, “You don’t go to war with fear, which is why I’m convinced I will somehow travel to Venezuela to take over.”
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
