US presents ultimatum to Maduro
A high-ranking US diplomat has called on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to resign prior to 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 and called for his resignation to facilitate a power transition, warning of additional sanctions if he does not comply.
Francisco Palmieri, head of the Venezuelan Affairs Unit at the US embassy in Colombia—due to Washington's lack of diplomatic presence in Caracas—expressed these views in an interview with Venezuela’s El Nacional newspaper on Wednesday.
Palmieri emphasized that Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, should recognize Edmundo Gonzalez as the rightful winner of the election before January 10, the scheduled date for the presidential inauguration ceremony.
While Venezuelan electoral authorities declared Maduro the victor of the July 28 presidential ballot, the opposition and many Western nations have contended that the vote was manipulated.
“Is it the deadline for Maduro? If he stays, things will only get worse for Venezuela,” Palmieri stated.
“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,” he added.
Palmieri warned that Washington is likely to impose new sanctions and continue to “individually punish” individuals involved with Maduro, indicating that Caracas will encounter “many problems internally and internationally” if Maduro remains in charge.
In late July, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council announced Maduro as the winner of the presidential election, claiming he received nearly 52% of the votes. The opposition has rejected this result, presenting tally sheets they argue indicate Gonzales won with 67%.
This opposition claim is supported by the US, the EU, and several other nations, although countries like Russia and China have accepted the official results and recognized Maduro as the re-elected leader.
Following the elections, Gonzalez went into hiding after being charged with various crimes, including sabotage and conspiracy. He was granted safe passage out of Venezuela in September, despite an outstanding arrest warrant, and subsequently fled to Spain.
Gonzalez has consistently vowed to return to Venezuela by January 10 to be inaugurated as president.
During a public event in Madrid on Monday, Gonzalez expressed determination, stating: “You don’t go to war with fear, which is why I’m convinced I will somehow travel to Venezuela to take over.”
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
Francisco Palmieri, head of the Venezuelan Affairs Unit at the US embassy in Colombia—due to Washington's lack of diplomatic presence in Caracas—expressed these views in an interview with Venezuela’s El Nacional newspaper on Wednesday.
Palmieri emphasized that Maduro, who has been in power since 2013, should recognize Edmundo Gonzalez as the rightful winner of the election before January 10, the scheduled date for the presidential inauguration ceremony.
While Venezuelan electoral authorities declared Maduro the victor of the July 28 presidential ballot, the opposition and many Western nations have contended that the vote was manipulated.
“Is it the deadline for Maduro? If he stays, things will only get worse for Venezuela,” Palmieri stated.
“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,” he added.
Palmieri warned that Washington is likely to impose new sanctions and continue to “individually punish” individuals involved with Maduro, indicating that Caracas will encounter “many problems internally and internationally” if Maduro remains in charge.
In late July, Venezuela’s National Electoral Council announced Maduro as the winner of the presidential election, claiming he received nearly 52% of the votes. The opposition has rejected this result, presenting tally sheets they argue indicate Gonzales won with 67%.
This opposition claim is supported by the US, the EU, and several other nations, although countries like Russia and China have accepted the official results and recognized Maduro as the re-elected leader.
Following the elections, Gonzalez went into hiding after being charged with various crimes, including sabotage and conspiracy. He was granted safe passage out of Venezuela in September, despite an outstanding arrest warrant, and subsequently fled to Spain.
Gonzalez has consistently vowed to return to Venezuela by January 10 to be inaugurated as president.
During a public event in Madrid on Monday, Gonzalez expressed determination, stating: “You don’t go to war with fear, which is why I’m convinced I will somehow travel to Venezuela to take over.”
Olivia Brown for TROIB News
