The United States denies having offered amnesty to Maduro – 2024-08-16 12:58:12

USA denied on Monday having offered amnesty to the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduroto leave power after the electoral authority declared his re-election in the elections of July 28, results questioned by the opposition and part of the international community.

State Department deputy spokesman, Vedant Pateldenied in a press conference to the newspaper The Wall Street Journalwhich published that the Administration of Joe Biden has reportedly offered an amnesty to persuade Maduro to leave before his term ends in January.

“That is not true. We have not made any offer of amnesty to Maduro or anyone else after the elections.”Patel said when asked about the matter.

The spokesman said, however, that the United States “is considering a wide range of options to pressure Maduro to return Venezuela to the path of democracy” and claimed that it is time for Chavismo and the opposition “to begin talks for a peaceful transition.”

The Wall Street Journal cited three anonymous sources as saying that the United States has offered pardons to Maduro and senior Chavista officials facing charges from the Justice Department in an effort to persuade them to leave power.

In 2020, the United States offered a $15 million reward for information leading to the arrest of Maduro, accused of drug trafficking with his allies, the newspaper said.

Maduro himself said last Friday that the United States is willing to give him “whatever it takes” to get him to leave power, but he demanded that Washington leave Venezuela “alone.”

The United States does not recognize Maduro’s victory in the July 28 elections, which was proclaimed by the National Electoral Council (CNE) without publishing the voting recordsand considers that the winner was the opposition member Edmundo González Urrutia, according to the minutes obtained by the majority opposition bloc.

In turn, Washington supports mediation efforts promoted by Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, which maintain relations with Maduroto try to verify the election results. EFE (I)