President Maduro Rejects Expulsion of Venezuelan Diplomatic Corps From El Salvador (Announces Counter Measures)
The Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, repudiated this Sunday the claim of the government of El Salvador to recognize Juan Guaidó as president of the nation, as well as the expulsion of the diplomatic corps from Venezuela posted in that Central American nation. During his participation in the closing of the III Anti-Imperialist Solidarity Meeting, for Democracy and Against Neoliberalism, which was held in the Convention Hall of Havana, Cuba, Maduro said that the unity between the peoples of both countries will remain despite the strategies of the government of Nayib Bukele.
He asserted that the action is aligned with the US administration and described the Salvadoran president as a “imperialist puppet.”
“Rest assured that no imperialism will separate the peoples of El Salvador and Venezuela. Shame on how he behaves, a person who came to the Presidency melts in front of imperialism,” he said. “Bukele will have his place in history,” said the Venezuelan president. “In history your place is as a traitor and a puppet of imperialism.”
This Sunday morning, the government of El Salvador decided to expel the entire Venezuelan diplomatic corps, they were given 48 hours to leave Salvadorian territory, as announced by the Salvadoran Presidency in a statement issued by President Nayib Bukele.
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Shortly thereafter, the Maduro Government announced the expulsion of diplomatic personnel from El Salvador “in accordance with the principle of reciprocity.”
“Bukele officially assumes the sad pawn role of US foreign policy, by giving oxygen to its strategy of aggression against the Venezuelan people,” said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza.
Caracas granted Salvadoran diplomats 48 hours to leave the country and accused the government of El Salvador of contributing “to the dwindling US strategy of economic intervention and blockade” against Venezuela, in addition to honoring “the humiliating treatment the US government has given to his fellow citizens on immigration policy.”
“The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela confirms that it will always be at the service of El Salvador to consolidate peace, sovereignty, independence and integration. No passing farce will affect the deep and historical ties that have united and will unite the Salvadoran people and the Venezuelan people, forever and ever,” the statement concludes.
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El Salvador’s Sánchez Cerén: Bukele responds to US interests and shows traits of a dictator
The former president of El Salvador, Salvador Sánchez Cerén, this Sunday denounced the current president of that Central American nation, Nayib Bukele, for showing dictatorial traits and responding to the interests of the United States. He explained that Bukele defends the democracy that gives benefits to economic sectors and not the one that allows the development of the people, and said that the decision to expel the diplomatic corps from Venezuela was a “wrong” measure.
In this regard, he said that the determination of the Salvadoran Executive to recognize Juan Guaidó was not consulted, and he described it as typical of a dictatorship, since it does not favor the people or the democratic spirit. “It has been a wrong decision; the democracy that Nayib Bukele is defending is the democracy that responds to the economic groups and interests of the United States, which is being governed by very nefarious interests,” he emphasized, during his participation in the III Anti-Imperialist Solidarity Meeting, for Democracy and Against Neoliberalism.
He added that the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, was elected by the Venezuelan people, while Guaidó, who does not exercise real power, is an imposed person and, in that sense, said that recognizing who does not enjoy popular legitimacy affects the Democratic tradition of the Republic of El Salvador.
“President Nayib Bukele has been making many mistakes, it is a mistake that affects the image of our country. Our country has gone through democratic logic, which recognizes democracies, and in Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro is a president elected by the people and Mr. Guaidó is an imposed person, that cannot be recognized,” he said.
He recalled that during his government he opposed the Organization of American States (OAS) being an instrument of the US administration, whose government intends to affect Venezuela at all costs.
The ex-president stressed that the diplomatic relationship that his government maintained with Venezuela brought much benefit to the Salvadoran people, particularly with the graduation of professionals in various areas such as health.
Translated by JRE/EF
