President Nicolas Maduro leading a special meeting of the High Political and Military Command of Venezuela after a meeting with US high ranking officials during the weekend. Photo: Twitter / @luchaalmada.
Monday, March 7, 2022, the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, met at night with members of the nation’s high political and military command, the Council of Vice Presidents, and the Superior General Staff of the Bolivarian National Armed Force, to carry out an analysis of the world geopolitical situation in response to the operation Russia is carrying out in Ukraine. He also confirmed the meeting between his administration and US government officials, providing some initial details.
In a televised broadcast on Monday night after 10:30 p.m., Venezuela’s president said, according to intelligence reports and the strategic analyses, it is likely, due to the wishes of Western countries, that the Russia-Ukraine conflict could escalate to Europe and then to other parts of the world, and become what some would call World War III.
“We have to express that we are seriously concerned about the possibility of a war in Europe and an extension of this confrontation to other parts of the world,” President Maduro said. “A campaign of hate and a set of actions seems to be gestating, to extend the war beyond Ukraine, to Europe, and beyond, to other regions of the planet.”
“The information we have leads us to increased concern,” added the president, “that this conflict could escalate and become a so-called Third World War. It is already having global impacts on prices.” Various nations have seen prices rise for oil and gas, as well as food, freight and other products and services, in recent days.
“We want to alert the world, and hopefully, with that alert, we may control the madness that seems to have taken over Western leaders,” said President Maduro.
He said that measures are being taken to control inflation, which could increase with an extension of the war. “We have made decisions to protect the distribution of food, to advance in the adjustment of salaries,” said President Maduro, “[to distribute] the fuel that the country needs, to place ourselves on alert at the international level.” Venezuela’s president emphasized the importance of keeping in contact with diplomats and foreign ministers around the world, and maintaining Venezuela’s presence in numerous world forums promoting peace and dialogue. “We will insist on the need for peace, for negotiations, and for security guarantees, that Russia has been demanding for a long time as a powerful country, to be fulfilled,” added the president.
He asked that humanitarian corridors be respected, and also called for “de-escalation of hate speech” on social networks and in the media.
Dialogue with opposition to resume
Maduro also indicated that the dialogue process will be resumed, which will receive a “reformatting,” to be much more inclusive.
President Maduro also commented on the meeting held last Saturday with US government officials, who were received in the Presidential Office before the flags of the United States and Venezuela, in accordance with protocol. Topics of mutual interest were discussed, said Maduro, and Jorge Rodríguez and Cilia Flores were present. Rodríguez will hold a press conference in the next few days to provide further the details about the meeting. President Maduro also stressed that reports recently published by news agencies such as Reuters or Associated Press are totally wrong.
Monday night’s televised meeting of Venezuelan officials, held in Miraflores Palace’s Simón Bolívar room, was attended by Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, ministers Vladimir Padrino López, Mervin Maldonado, Ricardo Menéndez, Tareck El Aissami, Néstor Reverol and Freddy Ñáñez, president of the National Assembly Jorge Rodríguez, vice president of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela, Diosdado Cabello, and other representatives of the political and military high command.
Featured image: President Nicolás Maduro leading a special meeting of the high political and military command of Venezuela, following a meeting with US high-ranking officials during the weekend. Photo: Twitter/@luchaalmada.
(Alba Ciudad) by LBR
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL/EF
