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<h1 class="title">Maduro: “US Human Rights Abusers Not Welcome in
Venezuela”</h1>
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<p class="byline"> By <span class="author">Rachael Boothroyd </span>
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<div class="block-inner"><b><small><small><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/11245">http://venezuelanalysis.com/news/11245</a></small></small></b><br>
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<p style="text-align: justify;">Caracas, March 2nd 2015 (<a
href="http://venezuelanalysis.com">venezuelanalysis.com</a>) The
Venezuelan government has responded to increased pressure from
Washington by revoking visa rights for former US politicians such
as George W. Bush and Dick Cheney, described by President Nicolas
Maduro as “terrorists against the peoples of the world” on
Saturday.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">“I have decided on a prohibition
list for people who will not be permitted visas and who can never
enter Venezuela, for a set of chief US politicians who have
committed human rights violations. They have bombed the people of
Iraq, the people of Syria, the people of Vietnam… It is an
anti-terrorist list,” declared the head of state to an impassioned
crowd. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The statements were part of a
rousing speech delivered by the president on Saturday to thousands
of marchers who had taken to the streets of Caracas to reject
White House interference in the South American country. The march
was a direct response to a string of further US sanctions enacted
against the Venezuelan government in early February and to what
Maduro characterised as a “moment of increased aggression” from
the Obama administration. The head of state went on to call for a
“global rebellion against US imperialism”.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">“The US thinks it is the boss, the
police of the world… Something happens somewhere, let’s say in
Asia, and a spokesperson for the US comes out saying that the US
government thinks that such and such a government shouldn’t do
such and such a thing in Asia… Are we going to accept a global
government? Enough of imperialism in the world!” stated an
incensed Maduro.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">During his speech, the head of state
also announced a slew of new diplomatic measures against the US
which include the implementation of visa requirements for all US
citizens visiting Venezuela. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">“They must pay what Venezuelans pay
when they want to travel to the United States,” said the
president. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Maduro explained that the changes
were designed to “protect” Venezuelans, after a number of US
citizens were discovered to be taking part in acts of espionage by
Venezuelan authorities. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">One of the most recent detections
includes the pilot of a US airplane who was stopped and questioned
by authorities on the border last week. A number of US citizens
were also detained last year for their participation in the armed
barricades or Guarimbas which sought to bring down the government
and led to the deaths of at least 43 Venezuelans. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Despite the latest measures, Maduro
emphasised that Venezuela continued to value its relationship with
US citizens. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">“You can count on the fact that the
people of Bolivar respect the people of the US, and recognise in
you a brother peoples, these decisions are against the imperialist
elite,” he stated. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The new measures will see the number
of staff at the US embassy in Caracas significantly reduced and US
representatives obliged to inform Venezuelan authorities of any
meetings that they intend to hold. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">The diplomatic institution currently
has over 100 employees, in comparison to just 17 who work at the
Venezuelan embassy in Washington. Venezuelan Foreign Minister,
Delcy Rodriguez, has explained that the US diplomatic mission will
be obliged to reduce its staffing numbers to 17 over the next 2
weeks. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Tense Relations </strong></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Recently the US embassy in Caracas
has become embroiled in a diplomatic altercation with the Maduro
administration which has intensified since the discovery of a
planned coup against the government in February. The Venezuelan
head of state has accused the White House of conspiring against
his government and charged embassy personnel with having advanced
knowledge of the coup plot, which was allegedly being funded in US
dollars from Miami. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Prior to the discovery of the coup,
the US embassy was reported to have attempted to bribe senior
military and government officials to partake in insurrectionist
actions against the government. US Vice-president Joe Biden also
made a series of statements accusing the Venezuelan government of
repression following a meeting with the wife of jailed opposition
leader, Liliana Tintori. </p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">Current opinion polls suggest
significant support amongst the population for government actions
against the US. According to a February poll conducted by
opposition aligned think tank, Hinerlaces, 92% of Venezuelans
oppose any kind of foreign intervention while 62% think that the
US should not be allowed to pass judgement on the country’s
internal affairs.</p>
<p style="text-align: justify;">In 2014, the US government issued
103 statements against Venezuela and another 65 since the start of
the year. Just a few weeks ago, the Obama administration also
approved increased funding for Venezuelan opposition groups and
Non-Governmental Organisations. </p>
<p class="published">Published on Mar 2nd 2015 at 11.29pm </p>
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