(Newswire.net— May 12, 2019) — Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, backed by the US, called for a “direct relationship” with Pentagon at a rally in Caracas after a failed coup.
Guaido said he had instructed his political envoy to Washington to immediately establish relations with the US military. He said he had asked his ambassador Carlos Vecchio to open “direct communication” with the US military in order to coordinate, Russia Today reports.
This is a direct call for the US to involve its military in the Venezuelan crisis and help Guaido’s campaign to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and install a government that has strong ties with Washington.
“When invited by @jguaido & the legitimate gov’t of #Venezuela, I look forward to discussing how we can support the future role of those @ArmadaFANB leaders who make the right decision, put the Venezuela people first & restore constitutional order. We stand ready!” the U.S. Southern Command tweeted.
SOUTHCOM also said that it “stands ready” to act as soon as it is “invited by Guaido and the legitimate government of Venezuela.”
In recent days, the Venezuelan Security Forces have arrested the deputy chairman of the national assembly, Edgar Zambrano.
Guaido is the president of the national assembly where the opposition is in the majority. Other MPs also sought refuge in foreign embassies scared that President Maduro would act after the failed military coup led by Guaido.
At a Caracas rally, Guaido said to the opposition assembly that “all options were open” to overthrow Maduro, using the term popularized by US President Donald Trump and Trump’s chief advisers.
A small group of people came out today in the streets of Venezuela to show support to the national assembly led by the opposition which is under increasing pressure from the government of President Nicolas Maduro.
Opposition leader Guaido spoke to several hundred people who gathered in the capital to support his efforts to overthrow the Socialist President Maduro.
A noticeably smaller number of people attending the rally, however, showed that there is a growing fear and that morale has fallen among Guaido supporters after the failed coup that he led on April 30th. In recent months, Guaido has gathered thousands of protesters.
“We live in a dictatorship. We have no option to stay at home and wait, but we must continue to look for our rights on the streets,” Guaido said.