GUAIDO MUST PUT TOGETHER “VENEZUELA’S LIBERATION GOVERNMENT”

Carlos Sánchez Berzaín
May 15, 2019

(Interamerican Institute for Democracy) Juan Guaidó is still restrained by the National Assembly’s erroneous agenda established by the “Statute for the Transition to Democracy” which mandates that the dictator must leave first, in order for there to be a president in charge and a transitional government.  Meanwhile, the opposition suffocates by such bitter measure; the dictatorship applies the strategy of “force-terror-resistance” that has kept Cuba’s regime in power for 60 years.  Guaidó can no longer continue to be deprived of discharging his responsibilities as Head of State, Commander-In-Chief, and Head of Government.  He must organize and lead Venezuela’s liberation government.

The international support for Venezuela’s people to recover their freedom and democracy is extraordinary, but not enough.  Internal, clear and sustainable political initiatives are needed with a strategic objective of removing the dictator from power, and disassembling the dictatorship.  Both; the dictator and the dictatorship must be toppled, because just removing Nicolas Maduro and accepting the continuation of any remnants of the regime’s system is a trap that the usurper has under his sleeve.

In its fight against the Castroist Chavist Transnational Organized Crime’s system, Venezuela faces a powerful enemy, willing to do anything, and with lots of experience.  On the other hand, the fighters for freedom have made their weakness clear to see that they are not united and lack a one and only leader, because they do not recognize Guaidó as president in charge and have neither a government nor a plan that goes beyond the street uprisings and the heroic personal sacrifices being made.  A travesty of reality in the National Assembly with an Assembly’s President who the Venezuelan people and the international community erroneously believe is the president in charge.

Cuba is decided to try everything in Venezuela because it is fighting for its survival.  This is why it directly intervenes in the criminal operations against the people and the opposition, as well as in the international actions to recreate the Cold War.  Cuba has undertaken a great international effort to discredit the fight for freedom and democracy in Venezuela with its worn-out slogan of anti-imperialism, seeking to gather all enemies of the United States in order to sustain the Castroist colony that Venezuela has been turned into.

Today, there is no doubt that the usurpation that oppresses Venezuela will not leave the government, unless it is by force.  For there to be the fall of Nicolas Maduro and the Castroist Chavist system, there is a need for an armed force.  The opposition denounces that in the defense of its colony Cuba has committed thousands of soldiers from the FARC, ELN, Russian mercenaries, the “collectives” (sic, irregular gang of thugs), and nearly 30,000 Cubans who control the Bolivarian Armed Forces as their slaves.

If Venezuela has a President in Charge, transitional or legitimate, as is believed by 90% of Venezuelans and the over 50 countries who have recognized Juan Guaidó, it is necessary for the National Assembly to, besides recognizing Guaidó as the Republic’s President,  help him and compel him to abide by the Constitution, with the inherent presidential obligations to designate, organize, and direct the government.

A “transitional government” is not enough as the existing national urgency now calls for a “Venezuela’s liberation government” comprised by and ranging from a Vice President and all the ministers, the ranking members of the opposition parties, and military patriots.  The presence of foreign and criminal forces, the criminal nature of the usurpers, the narco-state that Venezuela has been turned into, and the threat to perpetuate the foreign occupation, demand it so.

Venezuela’s liberation government must be immediately established and be empowered to take measures in which the President, beyond applying Article 187-11 of the Constitution, is able to govern.  With a Minister of Foreign Affairs who can denounce Cuba at the UN, the OAS, the European Parliament, and other institutions so that its troops leave Venezuelan territory and its intervention is ended.  With a Minister of Defense who can demand obedience from the Armed Forces and -where applicable- can remove and designate new commanders, request international military aid and request International Cooperation’s Armed Forces, with a Minister of Justice who can apply the Palermo Convention against Transnational Organized Crime.  With a Minister of Economy who can take total control of the resources and financial institutions, and so on for each of the Ministers.

The political clock ticks but, yet still, this can be done.  It only boils down to establishing a legitimate government in Venezuela to defeat usurpation, a government that will be a counterpart to execute international assistance in matters of legitimate use of force that -so far- it has not even been asked for.

*Attorney & Political Scientist.  Director of the Interamerican Institute for Democracy.

Published in Spanish by Infobae.com on Sunday, May 12th, 2019

Translated from Spanish by; Edgar L. Terrazas, member of the American Translators’ Association, ATA # 234680.