Opposition leaders say they are ready to exercise their authority and take power. US issues new indictment against Maduro's son

Opposition leader Machado (María Corina Machado) of Venezuela posted a statement on social media on Saturday, calling for national unity after Maduro's arrest.

"Given that he refused to accept the negotiation solution, the US government has fulfilled its law enforcement commitment," Machado wrote. "We have fought for this for years, done our best, and it is all worth it. What must happen will happen."

Machado continued, stating that Edmundo González, the elected president of Venezuela recognized by the United States and an opposition politician, former ambassador of Venezuela to Argentina and Algeria, must "immediately" assume office and be recognized as the commander-in-chief of the country's armed forces.

Machado stated that Edmundo González was elected as the legitimate president in the 2024 Venezuelan presidential election. Despite widespread international criticism of the election being fraudulent, Maduro was inaugurated last January.

Machado also said: "Now, we are ready to exercise our authority, take power, restore order, release political prisoners, build a great country, and bring our children home."

Edmundo González re-shared Machado's post and added: "The people of Venezuela, now is a decisive moment, know that we are ready to carry out the great national reconstruction campaign."

It is worth noting that shortly after the US took military action against Venezuela and captured its leader Maduro, Donald Trump gave an interview with Fox News on Saturday morning.

When asked, "Would you support opposition leader Machado? You remember she won the Nobel Peace Prize and dedicated it to you – would you fully support her in governing (Venezuela)?"

Trump replied, "Well, we need to look at it carefully. Now, they (Venezuela) have a vice president, you know. I don't know how that election went. Maduro's election was a disgrace, just like my election. 2020 was a disgrace – a complete disgrace – the advantage in the 2024 election was too big to be manipulated again…"

Trump also said, "We are making this decision now. We cannot risk letting someone else take over and continue what he (Maduro) didn't finish. So we are making this decision now. We will be deeply involved. We want to fight for freedom for the people of Venezuela."

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan mission to the United Nations has requested an emergency meeting of the Security Council and asked the Council to condemn the US military strike against Venezuela.

In a letter to the President of the Security Council, Ambassador Samuel Reinaldo Moncada Acosta wrote, "The United States always uses lies to create wars. This is an international tyranny under the guise of death propaganda: recent history has confirmed this."

Allies of Venezuela, permanent members of the Security Council, Russia and China, have also requested an emergency meeting of the Security Council this weekend. According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov called Venezuela's Vice President Rodriguez, expressing Russia's "firm support" for Venezuela.

In Washington, the US Department of Justice released a new indictment against Maduro, his wife and son on Saturday. The US Department of Justice charged in the indictment that Maduro and his allies turned Venezuela's institutions into a corrupt haven for drug trafficking for their own benefit.

The new indictment states that this corruption "not only enriched Venezuelan officials and their families, but also benefited violent drug terrorists who operate freely within Venezuela, who help produce, protect and transport tons of cocaine to the United States."

Source: rfi

US captures Venezuelan president

Original: toutiao.com/article/1853323145678857/

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