Maduro exclusively to RT: "I will not go down in history as a man who turned his back on his people"

'I won't be remembered as a traitor': Maduro to RT (EXCLUSIVE)

The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has granted an exclusive interview to RT in which he addresses the political crisis in the Latin American country and explains how war can be avoided.

The self-proclamation of opposition leader Juan Guaidó as "president in charge" of Venezuela, on January 23, has divided the world into two groups of countries, those that support the legitimate government of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, and those that recognize the now president of the National Assembly (AN). In the middle of this acute political crisis that shakes Venezuela, RT has talked exclusively with President Maduro, who offers us his vision of the current situation in the Latin American country.

"I do not care how I'm going to go down in history, I'm not going to be a traitor, a weak one, like a man who turned his back on his historic commitments to his people," the president said, underlining that his goal He goes through his duties and denounces the aggression of his US counterpart, Donald Trump. "I ask God that our country does not reach an American invasion," Maduro proclaims in the interview.

"In Europe they have recognized something that does not exist"

According to Maduro, the European countries and the Lima Group have made an error of a diplomatic nature by recognizing Guaidó, following US orders, and giving an ultimatum to the elected government. "In Europe they have recognized something that does not exist," he says in relation to the self-proclaimed "president in charge" of the Venezuelan opposition leader, since-he points out-in Venezuela there is only the government that presides.

In particular, Maduro believes that the president of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, "is making a mistake of the magnitude of José María Aznar" in the Iraq war, who - he said - "was filled with blood forever" after to the US service In this sense, he said that if a US invasion took place in Venezuela, "Sanchez's hands would be filled with blood forever."

There will be no presidential elections, yes parliamentarians

In reference to the calls launched by different countries for presidential elections to be held, the president emphasizes that he will not call them, because "in Venezuela there is no election deficit" and the only ones pending are parliamentary elections, which, in accordance with the electoral calendar, should take place in 2020.
Supporters of the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, on the outskirts of the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, on January 26, 2019. Maduro rejects the ultimatums to call elections in Venezuela: "I will not give my arm to twist"

"The problem is in the opposition, not in one more election, we have made 25 elections in 20 years, in the last 18 months we have made 6 elections, the 2018 elections were advanced by the opposition proposal," he concludes.

Measures to stabilize the economy

The Venezuelan leader considers it necessary "to demand the end of the economic, financial and commercial blockade against the people of Venezuela," so that the resources of this country "kidnapped by the world" will be freed and this will lead to a national recovery.

"The hyperinflation caused by a parallel type of criminal exchange does us a tremendous damage," said Maduro, who was optimistic in relation to the set of market policies promoted by his government that, in his opinion, are beginning to give good results.
Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela
"Imperialism does not help anyone in the world, nobody, tell me where in the world they have brought humanitarian aid, what they have brought are bombs ... Bombs to destroy Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria ... To provoke deaths, it is a show, it's that simple. "

Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela

In this regard, he explained that his Executive considers two measures under development to stabilize the Venezuelan economy: the creation of new parameters for setting the real value of the foreign currency and the testing of a system of agreed prices that "does not allow the direct impact of the price to the products ". "We are facing an economic war," says Maduro. He also recalled that "the social protection of employment, social security, national income and pensions" is one of the priorities of the active policy of his Government.

"For the great tasks of the economy [...] Venezuela is going to need at least 10 more years in the propping up of a solid productive apparatus that generates enough diversity in the national wealth", affirms Maduro, who highlights as a final goal that Caracas do not depend solely on a good, in this case oil.

"Those who leave the country get carried away by siren songs"

 "Many Venezuelans left with a hope of improvement, and what did they find? Xenophobia, persecution, exploitation, slave labor," says Maduro, questioned about the countrymen who leave the Bolivarian country and who, in his opinion, "get carried away by songs of mermaid ".
The 'casus belli' of Trump against Venezuela

The reason why the USA wants to intervene militarily in Venezuela lies in natural resources, such as oil, gold or gas, since Caracas does not have weapons of mass destruction or pose a threat to Washington, says Maduro. Likewise, the head of the Venezuelan State includes in the 'casus belli' against Venezuela "the moral richness of the Bolivarian revolution" and "ending a revolution that exemplifies independence and social justice".

Humanitarian aid to Guaidó

Maduro, who has described as "political show" the proposals of humanitarian aid to Guaidó by the US, warns that imperialism does not help anyone in the world, but only "carries bombs" and "provokes deaths" as It has already happened in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria. "I'm not going to accept any type of interventionism," stresses the Venezuelan head of state.

Ready for dialogue?

To the question of whether he is willing to negotiate with Guaidó, the president responded that he believes the opposition leader is "a circumstantial instrument" chosen by Venezuelan opponents "for an adventure scenario that they know will fail". He also took the opportunity to call a dialogue with all the opposition parties and to thank those governments that have expressed their diplomatic and diplomatic position to resolve the current political situation in Venezuela.
Response against sanctions: "Venezuela is self-sufficient"

The sanctions of Washington against Citgo and Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA) are "a measure of seizure, illegal confiscation," according to US law, after which Caracas has taken legal action. "What they have done has no name, it has never been done against any country," denounces Maduro.

The Texan oil company Citgo, PDVSA subsidiary, is at the center of the political battle over the future of Venezuela, since it is a vital source of liquidity for the Maduro government, which is why the US gave Guaidó control of its assets. Likewise, on Monday of last week, the White House froze PDVSA's funds in US territory, valued at 7,000 million dollars, a measure that, according to the US Security Advisor, John Bolton, would lead to additional losses in value of 11,000 million dollars throughout this year.

In any case, Maduro stresses that Venezuela is self-sufficient and does not depend on US income. for the oil sale, at the same time he recalled that they are selling crude to other countries such as China or India, with the aim of reaching "producing 2.5 million barrels" daily by the middle of this year.
"I ask the whole world to come out and denounce and stop the madness of Donald Trump"

Peace diplomacy and world public opinion should help to avoid a US invasion, which would be "unpayable from the point of view of military and human costs" for Washington, warns Maduro.

"In Venezuela there will be no war, no military intervention," the president stressed, noting that "it does not mean that we do not prepare to defend our land, which is sacred."

Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela

"How can a war be avoided, with peace diplomacy and world public opinion, and also prepare us to make an invasion by the US from the point of view of military and human costs."
Nicolás Maduro, president of Venezuela

"I take advantage of every means of communication to ask the whole world to leave in peace to denounce and stop the madness of Donald Trump, Venezuela is never going to give in. A wave of conscience, of global sensitivity, begins to rise. There is going to be a bigger repudiation of Donald Trump, "says the Venezuelan leader.

Faced with the internal threat of a coup d'etat looming over Venezuela, Maduro is betting on the initiative proposed by Mexico, Uruguay and the members of the Caribbean Community (Caricom) with the aim of "building a scenario of understanding," he stressed.

Asked about the words of Bolton, who suggested Maduro to resign and have "a nice and quiet retirement on a beautiful beach," the Venezuelan leader explained that he would like to retire in Venezuela when he turns 90, in the company of his "grandchildren, granddaughters" and great-grandchildren. " "I feel they despise us: Donald Trump, John Bolton, Mike Pompeo, Mike Pence ..." said the Venezuelan president, who denounced the "imperialist white supremacy" that the White House turns into "contempt for all the peoples of the world. "