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UN chief calls for restraint in Venezuela

By Hong Xiao at United Nations | China Daily | Updated: 2019-05-02 07:47

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called for "maximum restraint" in Venezuela to avoid violence and to restore calm.

"The secretary-general urges all sides to exercise maximum restraint, and he appeals to all stakeholders to avoid any violence and take immediate steps to restore calm," Guterres' spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said at a daily news conference.

"The secretary-general's message, both privately and publicly, has been the same, which is to ensure that people understand that his good offices remain available should both sides request them," he said.

On Tuesday, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said via Twitter that military commanders from all regions and defense areas of the country have "expressed their loyalty to the people". Maduro also called for "the maximum popular mobilization to ensure the victory of peace".

UN chief calls for restraint in Venezuela

"The FANB (National Bolivarian Armed Forces) stand firm in defense of the National Constitution and its legitimate authorities," Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez posted on Twitter.

Venezuelan media reported that opposition leader Juan Guaido showed up early Tuesday morning along with some military personnel outside the La Carlota aviation military base east of Caracas, according to Xinhua News Agency.

He called on civilians and military to act against the government and urged Maduro to step down.

Guaido also tweeted that "the end of the usurpation began, and at this moment I am meeting with the main military units of our armed forces, beginning the final phase of Operation Freedom".

Later, the president of the National Constituent Assembly, Diosdado Cabello, said that "at this moment the situation is in absolute tranquility in all of Venezuela.

Cabello called on the Venezuelan people to "defend" the Maduro government, Xinhua reported.

Severed US ties

US President Donald Trump tweeted about the situation: "I am monitoring the situation in Venezuela very closely. The United States stands with the People of Venezuela and their Freedom!"

The US government recognized Guaido as the nation's "interim president" on Jan 23, shortly after Maduro was inaugurated for a second term.

In response, Maduro severed diplomatic and political ties with the United States.

In an April report, Economics Sanctions is Collective Punishment: The Case of Venezuela, US economists Mark Weisbrot and Jeffrey Sachs assessed the impact of economic sanctions imposed on Venezuela by the US government since August 2017.

"The sanctions reduced the public's caloric intake, increased disease and mortality (for both adults and infants), and displaced millions of Venezuelans who fled the country as a result of the worsening economic depression and hyperinflation," the report said. "They exacerbated Venezuela's economic crisis and made it nearly impossible to stabilize the economy, contributing further to excess deaths. All of these impacts disproportionately harmed the poorest and most vulnerable Venezuelans."

Meanwhile, UNICEF is asking for help in assisting those that have fled. Around 3.7 million Venezuelans are now in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and other countries in the region.

Without increased support, the health, education and well-being of at least 327,000 children from Venezuela living as migrants and refugees in Colombia will be in jeopardy, UNICEF warned on Monday.

Xinhua contributed to this story.

xiaohong@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily 05/02/2019 page4)

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