The United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has on Thursday announced that the United States is ready to provide more than $20 million in initial humanitarian assistance to the people of Venezuela as the country is thrown into a political crisis worse since the death of former Leader and dictator, Hugo Chavez.
According to Mike Pompeo, the funds are to help the people of Venezuela who struggle to cope with severe food and medicine shortages and the other dire impacts of their country’s political and economic crisis caused by the illegitimate Maduro regime.
“Venezuela’s National Assembly has stressed the need for immediate international humanitarian assistance. In response, the United States is ready to provide emergency aid throughout Venezuela to help meet the increasingly urgent humanitarian needs of Venezuelans affected by this crisis.”
“The United States also continues to provide robust support for response efforts throughout the region as the growing impacts of Maduro’s crisis spill into neighbouring countries. Since Fiscal Year 2017, the United States has provided more than $140 million in humanitarian and development assistance to support affected countries’ emergency efforts and build their long-term capacity to host the more than three million people who have fled repression and chaos in Venezuela since 2014.”
We call on appropriate Venezuelan authorities to immediately implement the critical economic and political reforms necessary to end the hyperinflation, supply shortages, and corruption at the heart of this crisis.
The United States stands with the people of Venezuela and the communities throughout the region that have generously taken in their neighbours during this time of crisis. We commend the contributions of regional governments and all international donors and encourage additional contributions from the international community to meet growing needs in Venezuela and the region”. Mike Pompeo said.
The US has also backed the opposition leader in Venezuela Juan Guaidó who a few days ago, declared himself as interim President, after taking an oath and sworn himself in as droves of protesters took to the streets calling for President Nicolas Maduro’s exit.
Other Western Powers have endorsed Juan Guaido’s move while the likes of Russia who have strong ties with Venezuela has warned the US against the removal of Nicolas Maduro as the country draws closer to a civil war.
President Trump also backing the opposition in Venezuela, had tweeted this a few days ago:
“The people of Venezuela have courageously spoken out against Maduro and his regime and demanded freedom and the rule of law,” Trump said in a statement.
“We continue to hold the illegitimate Maduro regime directly responsible for any threats it may pose to the safety of the Venezuelan people.”