Letter to Biden Exposes Deep Crisis of Venezuelan Opposition

The Venezuelan opposition is going through a moment of great division, as some sectors of the right-wing opposition have started a public fight against some other sectors that sent a letter to US President Joe Biden requesting relief from the sanctions imposed on Venezuela by the White House.

This division was exposed by statements made by some leaders of the extreme right, through interviews in media and through posts on social media. They have criticized those who signed the letter addressed to the White House and members of the US Congress.

Former leader of opposition party Acción Democrático and fugitive from justice Antonio Ledezma was among those of the extreme right who have criticized their “allies.” Former leader of another opposition party COPEI and former governor of Táchira state, César Pérez Vivas, also called out the opposition politicians who sent that letter to Biden.

These spokespersons of the extreme right insisted on blaming the policies of Commander Hugo Chávez and President Nicolás Maduro for the economic problems that Venezuela has been through. They also free Washington from any responsibility for the imposition of the financial and commercial blockade against the country.

Debemos hacer una carta o manifiesto pidiéndole a Maduro levantar las sanciones a los ciudadanos venezolanos que tiene en sus cárceles por razones políticas,que,además, levante la censura en los medios de comunicación públicos y privados. Es decir que nos restituya la democracia.

— César Pérez Vivas (@CesarPerezVivas) April 15, 2022

This reaction from the extreme right came after journalist Joshua Goodman of the US news agency AP published via Twitter the text of the letter sent to US President Biden and the US Congress by 25 members of economic, academic and social sectors and some opposition politicians.

In the letter, the opposition politicians admitted that the unilateral coercive measures imposed by Washington on Venezuela, through the “maximum pressure policy,” failed to achieve their objectives.

The letter also mentioned that “it is clear that this type of sanctions have not benefited the population.” It further added that 75% of Venezuelans strongly reject these all-encompassing sanctions.

Featured image: César Pérez Vivas (left), Juan Guaidó (center), and Antonio Ledezma (right), three representatives of the Venezuelan extreme right. Photo: RedRadioVE

(RedRadioVE)

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/EF/SC