PDVSA's CITGO Petroleum refinery, in Sulphur, Louisiana, USA, June 12, 2018. Photo: Reuters/Jonathan Bachman/File Photo.
“The United States is not a safe country to make investments, to make purchases of companies, to have economic activity…”
On Monday, the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, demanded the return of the company CITGO, a subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), to the Government of the United States (US), after denouncing that it was stolen by that country.
During his intervention in the program Con Maduro Más, the President rejected the coup plot to keep CITGO as a hostage, which has caused millions of dollars in losses to the Venezuelan oil company.
“The United States is not a safe country to make investments, to make purchases of companies, to have economic activity, but the United States gave CITGO to the extremist right-wing opposition and, simply, they are stealing a company that costs more than 12 billion dollars and that belongs to Venezuelans,” he stressed.
#EnVivo 📹 | "Citgo ha sido secuestrada por los Estados Unidos. Sencillamente, se están robando una empresa que cuesta 12.000 millones de dólares que le pertenece a los venezolanos y a las venezolanas", denunció el mandatario nacional @NicolasMaduro pic.twitter.com/YzTmK8HR3y
— Prensa Presidencial (@PresidencialVen) August 14, 2023
“CITGO has been kidnapped by the United States. Simply, they are stealing a company that costs 12,000 millions of dollars that belongs to Venezuelans,” President Maduro stated.
Maduro also explained that CITGO gives more than 1 billion dollars of annual net profit, and in the years of sequestration, from 2019 to 2022, it accumulated 4 billion dollars that belong to Venezuela.
Maduro stressed that CITGO was purchased, well-managed and run by Venezuela, and, in addition to the profits, it brought other benefits to Venezuela.
Venezuela’s National Assembly Condemns Guaidó Gang’s Scheme to Auction CITGO
“Venezuela demands the immediate return of the company CITGO and the return of the 4 billion dollars owed to us for these four years of kidnapping,” the head of state demanded.
President Maduro assured that, despite the attacks from national media, international media, and social networks, the right wing will not install fascism in Venezuelan streets.
#EnVivo 📹 | "En Venezuela hay un consenso sobre cuatro temas. El primero, continuar la senda de la construcción y el crecimiento económico; el segundo, el rechazo a las sanciones criminales impuestas al país; el tercero, la necesidad de preservar la paz y, el cuarto de ellos, la… pic.twitter.com/kd1BHNAEIp
— Prensa Presidencial (@PresidencialVen) August 14, 2023
“In Venezuela there is a consensus on four issues. The first, to continue the path of construction and economic growth; the second, the rejection of the criminal sanctions imposed on the country; the third, the need to preserve peace, and, the fourth of them, the need to completely rescue the social welfare state,” President Maduro stated.
“We have a real Venezuela, which is censored, covered, walled off by the big networks that attack it, and big media, they want to disrupt the social, political life, sew fascism in Venezuela through hate and lies, and violence. Alert, Venezuela! They want to sew fascism in the country, through lies and hate, but we will not let them,” he expressed.
In this regard, he stated that his country will follow a path of peace, harmony, recovery, solidarity and love, in search of greatness, solidarity, life and progress.
Likewise, the President referred to the installation of peace dialogues between the Government of Colombia and the guerrilla of the National Liberation Army (ELN) and ratified all Venezuela’s goodwill and willingness to help Colombia build peace.
“Peace in Colombia is urgent, it cannot be postponed, it is emerging, it is necessary. Peace in Colombia cannot be delayed any longer. It is a great opportunity that the government of President Petro is giving to achieve total peace,” he said.
He also assured that the Colombian mafia acts in different countries of the region with the purpose of destabilizing them, since for many years it has held power in Colombia, with hired assassination practices.
On the other hand, the Venezuelan president condemned the terrorist attacks of this day in Syria and Iran and wished that both governments advance in the restitution of peace and in the search for and punishment of those responsible.
Maduro recalled his presence in Havana, Cuba, seven years ago, to celebrate the 90th birthday of Commander Fidel Castro, who died in November 2016.
“It was Fidel Castro Ruz, commander of hope. Fidel and Chavez are the founders of an exemplary relationship of selfless solidarity, of true brothers, of Cuba and Venezuela a single flag. Fidel Castro Ruz, honor and glory,” he expressed.
(teleSUR)
