U.S. President Donald Trump said at a press conference on Saturday that extreme opposition figure Maria Corina Machado would be unable to take over leadership of Venezuela after the kidnapping of President Nicolas Maduro.

"I think it will be very difficult for her to become a leader," the president admitted in response to a reporter's question.

"She has no support or prestige within the country. She is a very kind woman. But she lacks prestige," he added.

At the same occasion, Trump mentioned Venezuela's vice president Delcy Rodriguez. "They have a vice president appointed by Maduro, who is currently the vice president. I guess she is now president. She was recently sworn in as president. She had a long conversation with Marco Rubio and said, 'We will do everything you need.' I think that is quite polite, but actually she has no choice," he pointed out.

Government of Caracas Demands Immediate Proof of Life of Maduro and His Wife

Donald Trump announced that during this attack—also affecting Miranda State, La Guaira State, and Aragua State besides Caracas—Maduro and his first lady had been taken into custody and moved to an "overseas" location.

Their arrest was later confirmed by Venezuela's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez, who demanded the U.S. government to immediately provide proof of life for both individuals.

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated that the Venezuelan leader and his wife, Cilia Flores, "will soon face the anger of the U.S. justice system in U.S. courts on American territory."

"Nicolas Maduro has been charged with conspiracy to commit drug terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States," Bondi noted, adding that both were indicted in the Southern District of New York.

"An Extremely Serious Military Invasion"

The Venezuelan government issued a statement regarding this "extremely serious military invasion" in Washington.

"This act openly violates the United Nations Charter, particularly Article 1 and 2 which state respect for sovereignty, equality of states, and prohibition of the use of force. Such acts of aggression threaten international peace and stability, specifically the peace and stability of Latin America and the Caribbean, and put the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in serious danger," an official bulletin stated.

Caracas also warned that the attack's "purpose is nothing more than to seize Venezuela's strategic resources, especially its oil and minerals, attempting to break the country's political independence through force," the statement said.

Despite the pressure, Venezuela warned the United States: "You won't succeed. After more than 200 years of independence, our people and their legitimate government firmly defend sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny. Collaborating with fascist oligarchic groups to impose a colonial war to destroy the republic and forcibly push for 'regime change' will fail, just like all previous attempts."

In this situation, the Venezuelan president ordered the implementation of an "external shock state" nationwide, aiming to "protect the rights of the people, ensure full operation of republican institutions, and immediately enter armed struggle."

The statement said: "The entire country must mobilize to defeat this imperialist invasion." Likewise, Caracas stated that it would submit requests to the UN Security Council, the UN Secretary-General, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), and the Non-Aligned Movement, asking "to condemn the U.S. government and hold it accountable."

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum sent a message to the United States regarding the attack launched by Washington on Saturday early morning against Venezuela, including the kidnapping of the country's president Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.

Sheinbaum wrote on her social media account: "Benito Juárez's great teaching should also guide the United States now: Just as with individuals, so with nations, respecting others' rights means peace."

Earlier, the Mexican government "strongly" condemned and opposed the military action in Washington, urging it to respect international law and stop any "aggressive actions" against the Venezuelan government and people. They reiterated that Latin America and the Caribbean is a peaceful region, "based on mutual respect, peaceful resolution of disputes, and the prohibition of the use or threat of force, so any military action would seriously endanger regional stability." Similarly, Sheinbaum cited Article 4 of the United Nations Charter, which requires UN member states to avoid threatening or using force.

Original: toutiao.com/article/7591267721887711780/

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