SANTIAGO – After Venezuelan minister Jorge Rodriguez already claimed the involvement of Chile in the attack on Nicolás Maduro on August 4, the president himself has also pointed to Chile. Although Chile rejected earlier accusations, Maduro named Chilean president Sebastián Piñera by name when mentioning suspects. Meanwhile, at the General Assembly of the United Nations, Donald Trump imposed new sanctions on the Maduro regime.
It took La Moneda on Sunday just a few hours to respond on the claims of the Venezuelan government about the involvement of the Chilean embassy in the failed assassination attempt on Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro. The Chilean government released a statement in which they described the insinuations as “very serious and calumnious threats”, considered to be “against the integrity of our diplomatic representation in Caracas.” The Venezuela’s ambassador was also summoned to the foreign ministry.
Following the ´testimonial´ from suspect Henryberth Rivas, alias “Morfeo”, and the reaction from the Piñera administration, Nicolás Maduro, the president of Venezuela, said today: “More and more elements of the right-wing Chilean government, of Sebastián Piñera, are increasingly involved in this operation“. He also pointed at Colombia and Mexico, stating: “Today we have elements of participation of diplomats from Chile, Colombia and Mexico, in the events of the attack on August 4 (…) I am willing to appoint an international commission and share all the proof we have”.
Chilean government rejects Venezuelan accusations of involvement in attack on Maduro
Trump ask UN to help “restore democracy in Venezuela”
Meanwhile in the General Assembly of the UN in New York, president Trump held a speech in which he announced new economic sanctions on the “close circle of Maduro and his advisers”. Among those sanctioned is Maduro’s wife Cilia Flores, and Diosdado Cabello, head of the National Constituent Assembly (ANC). Other sanctioned are Jorge Rodriguez, the Minister of Communication and Information, who released the accusations on the Chilean government, current vice president Delcy Rodríguez and Defense minister Vladimir Padrino López.
Also, Trump called upon the international community to help restore democracy in Venezuela. He stated that in Venezuela, a “repressive regime” led by “socialism” has led to the bankruptcy of the nation and has submerged his people in poverty.
"All nations of the world should resist socialism and the misery that it brings to everyone," President Trump says, referencing Venezuela as an example. #UNGA https://t.co/KPHvoF7j7C pic.twitter.com/tZGYVazUdg
— CBS News (@CBSNews) September 25, 2018
Editor-In-Chief Boris van der Spek is the founder of Chile Today.