After the announced election of Donald Trump, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro launched a message of reconciliation with the United States, while relations between the two countries were severed in 2019, during the Republican president's first term.
“It didn’t go well for us during his first term. It's a new beginning. We bet on win-win. May it go well for the United States and may it go well for Venezuela”Mr. Maduro said during a television show.
The administration of Joe Biden did not recognize Mr. Maduro's victory in the July 28 presidential election, of which he was proclaimed winner by the National Electoral Council and the Supreme Court, considered to be under the orders of those in power, to the great dismay of the opposition, which cries fraud and claims the victory of its candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
A little earlier in the day, Wednesday, the Venezuelan Ministry of Foreign Affairs had already said it was ready to “establish good relationships” with the United States even congratulating “the people of the United States (…) and President-elect Donald J. Trump.”
“The Venezuelan people share historical ties with the people of the United States, with whom we aspire to follow a path of peace and social justice, where there is no room for war, exclusion, discrimination »concluded the press release.
Both Mr. Maduro and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs avoided mentioning American sanctions. During his first term (2017-2021), Donald Trump imposed a policy of maximum pressure to try to oust President Nicolas Maduro from power, toughening financial sanctions and establishing an oil embargo.
Nearly 8 million Venezuelans have left the country to escape the crisis, some of them going to the United States. However, immigration was one of the major themes of the Republican candidate's campaign for the White House.
