SANTIAGO – Chilean President Sebastian Piñera has speculated that his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, would be ousted within days.
“Within days, Maduro’s dictatorship will cease to exist. The people of Venezuela have opened door to freedom and democracy, with courage and happiness. Now they should move toward a free and prosperous country that lives in peace. All the democrats across the world share this happiness,” the Chilean head of the state posted on Twitter.
La dictadura de Maduro en #Venezuela tiene sus días contados. El pueblo venezolano abrió las puertas de la Libertad y Democracia con coraje y alegría. Ahora deberá recorrer los caminos hacia un país libre, próspero y en paz. Todos los demócratas del mundo compartimos su alegría.
— Sebastian Piñera (@sebastianpinera) February 12, 2019
Earlier this month, Colombian President Ivan Duque equally voiced the belief that Maduro, with whom he has long been at loggerheads, would soon lose his post.
At the same time, US Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams suggested earlier that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro should leave the country, and such “friends as Cuba or Russia” would gladly accept him.
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Maduro himself has accused Washington, which has stated that it has all options on the table with regard to a response to the Venezuelan crisis, of organizing a coup in the Latin American country.
Tensions in the Caribbean country escalated when Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó invoked in January a constitutional provision to proclaim himself president in charge of Venezuela, arguing that Maduro’s re-election last year was a fraud.
A majority of countries, more than seventy, including the United States, have recognized Guaidó as the legitimate president of Venezuela, but Maduro maintains the support of Russia, China, Mexico, Turkey, Uruguay and several other countries as well as the control of state institutions, including the Armed Forces.
Chile recognizes Juan Guaidó as president-in-charge of Venezuela: Piñera
