By EFE
02 Nov 2023, 20:36 PM EDT
The organization Independent Venezuelan American Citizens (IVAC), based in Miami, asked this Thursday the US government to impose more sanctions on the Government of Nicolás Maduroinstead of removing them, and urged a general strike in the South American country in order to “overthrow the dictator.”
In a press conference, IVAC, an organization committed to promoting democracy and human rights in Venezuela, addressed “crucial issues” related to the situation in that country and outlined the need for The United States Government takes concrete actions after the cancellation of the primary process of the opposition by the Venezuelan Government.
The Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela suspended the opposition’s primary process last Monday, arguing electoral fraud.
Among the different actions proposed by the director of IVAC, Ernesto Ackerman, it stands out to do a call to President Joe Biden to reinstate sanctions that were suspended and continue to “pressure the Maduro regime to be accountable.”
“It is not an embargo and it is not against the country, they are (sanctions) in a personal capacity with names and surnames. In Venezuela there are 110 penalized so far,” Ackerman told EFE.
According to the leader, “the gold is being exploited by the Cartel of the Suns. In Venezuela there are no private companies,” he pointed out.
The United States announced last October the lifting of several sanctionsincluding oil and gas, for six months, in response to the agreement between Chavismo and the opposition on electoral guarantees for the 2024 presidential elections, which include international observation.
However, he warned that he could reconsider the decision if the American “political prisoners” in Venezuela are not released and if the anti-Chavista María Corina Machado, winner of the primaries last October 22remains disqualified from holding elected office, an issue on which the US wants to see concrete steps before the end of November.
“I don’t believe in elections, I don’t believe in this Government, but now there is no doubt that there is a leading voice,” Ackerman told EFE about Machado’s victory in the primaries.
“97% of voters elected a real, democratically elected spokesperson. In Venezuela there was no one who was a spokesperson for the opposition, there was no leader who would take us forward. Therefore, if we accept the disqualification of María Corina we are accepting the regime. We have to support her,” she maintained.
At today’s press conference, which was attended by Rafael Pineyro, vice mayor of Doral, the city adjacent to Miami where the most Venezuelans live, also A call was made to the Biden Government to “demand respect for the primary elections.”
As stated, it is about “respect” for the agreements previously established in the meetings in Barbados that took place last October between the Venezuelan Government and the opposition.
“It is an essential step toward restoring democracy in Venezuela,” Ackerman said.
Regarding the call for a general strike, he pointed out that it is about calling a general strike in Venezuela “where the entire country stops.”
“There are cases like the one in the Philippines where these types of strikes overthrew dictators,” he added.
Keep reading:
– What does the agreement between the government and opposition of Venezuela consist of (and what changes)
– Supreme Court of Venezuela suspended opposition primaries and ordered the delivery of electoral material
– María Corina Machado, one of the most popular presidential candidates in Venezuela, is disqualified from holding public office for 15 years