Bolsonaro Moves To Cure Venezuela Of Its “Cancer” Maduro
Brazil’s newly inaugurated rightwing president, Jair Bolsonaro declared in a video message that his administration will do everything in its power to win back democracy for Venezuela.
“I believe the solution will soon come,” Bolsonaro proclaimed on the video.
The video was released prior to the scheduled protests against Nicolás Maduro next week.
Maduro, began his second six-year term as president of Venezuela on January 10 amidst local and international condemnation. The election was tainted by allegations of fraud and a dozen of Latin American countries and Canada have agreed to not recognize his leadership.
Bolsonaro’s influential son Eduardo, referred to Maduro as a “cancer” in a tweet:
“Maduro’s narco-dictatorship is a cancer that needs to be excised.”
Eduardo, who is closely affiliated with rightwing Venezuelan dissidents has been a bold critic of Maduro and has openly sought a military overthrow of the Venezuelan leader.
Brazil’s foreign ministry accused Maduro of heading organized crime in Venezuela that was widely-financed by acts of corruption, narco-trafficking, people-trafficking, money laundering, and terrorism.
Venezuela’s opposition has regained their footing with international allies and the emergence of Juan Guaidó, the 35-year-old head of Venezuela’s opposition-controlled national assembly. He recently announced that he is ready to take over Maduro’s presidency.
Barely a week into his post, he told the world he was ready to assume the presidency until free and fair elections could be held with the backing of military. Guaidó denounced Maduro as a “usurper” and “de facto ruler” whose re-election last May was a “farce”.
It what seemed to be a response to Guaidó’s public attacks, the young opposition leader was briefly detained by the intelligence services – something Maduro’s administration denied involvement.
After he was released, he told supporters, “Look what they are doing. They are desperate in [the presidential palace] Miraflores … We are survivors, not victims!”
He also urged the military to turn on Maduro. “The chain of command has been broken, and there’s no commander in chief – it’s time to get on the right side of history,” wrote Guaidó, who has adopted Barack Obama’s famous rallying cry “¡Sí, se puede!” – “Yes we can!”
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