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<div class="header reader-header reader-show-element" dir="ltr"> <font
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href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14853">https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14853</a></font>
<h1 class="reader-title">Venezuela: Guaido to Use Funds Frozen
in US to Pay Loyalists $5000 Monthly Salaries</h1>
<div class="field field-name-field-author">By <span
class="author">Lucas Koerner</span> - Apr 23rd 2020</div>
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<p>Santiago de Chile, April 23, 2020 (<a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/">venezuelanalysis.com</a>)
- Venezuelan opposition legislators have awarded
themselves a monthly salary of US $5000, the
Associated Press <a
href="https://apnews.com/bd68454e33c7cf5a57fe7bdfa32fe5a7">reported</a>
on Thursday.</p>
<p>Two opposition deputies and three aides to opposition
leader Juan Guaido confirmed the salaries on condition
of anonymity, concerned that the disclosure could
cause further rifts in the anti-government ranks.</p>
<p>The payout provision was secretly tucked into a bill
passed last week by lawmakers loyal to Guaido, which
establishes a $80 million “Liberation Fund” to provide
healthcare workers combatting the coronavirus pandemic
with US $100 bonuses for a duration of three months.</p>
<p>Around 60,000 healthcare providers will reportedly
qualify for the monthly benefit, which will be
transferred electronically via a digital platform
managed by the Organization of American States.</p>
<p>It is unclear how the beneficiaries will be able to
access and spend the bonuses, as most monetary
transactions in Venezuela involve physical dollar
payments or electronic payments in bolivars.</p>
<p>When <a
href="http://www.asambleanacionalvenezuela.org/noticias/presidente-e-de-venezuela-anuncia-apoyo-economico-para-medicos-enfermeras-y-trabajadores-de-hospitales">announcing</a>
the plan last week, Guaido did not, however, divulge
that $13.6 million, or 17 percent of the fund, is
earmarked for “the defense and strengthening of the
national legislative power and the social protection
of its members”, which will be paid retroactively to
January.</p>
<p>Guaido proclaimed himself “<a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14244">interim
president</a>” in January 2019 and was immediately
recognized by Washington, which imposed an <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14615">oil
embargo</a> and moved to freeze an estimated $11.6
billion in Venezuelan state assets in the US,
including bank accounts as well as Venezuelan national
oil company PDVSA’s US-based subsidiary, Citgo.</p>
<p>According to AP, the “Liberation Fund” will be
financed via funds frozen in US-based Venezuelan
government accounts.</p>
<p>The Trump administration recently moved <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14850">$342m</a>
belonging to the Venezuelan Central Bank (BCV) from a
frozen Citibank account to an account at the New York
Federal Reserve. The Guaido-led opposition reportedly
“approved” the measure, which the BCV called
“plunder.”</p>
<p>AP reports that an additional 11 percent of the $80
million allocated will cover the expenses of
diplomatic staff in countries that recognize Guaido,
while other funds will be dedicated to communications
outreach and judicial cooperation abroad.</p>
<p>The plan likewise contains a provision to include
substitute opposition lawmakers on the $5000 monthly
payroll.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, it remains to be seen how many
legislators in the opposition-controlled National
Assembly will receive the salaries.</p>
<p>Guaido <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14755">lost</a>
the presidency of the National Assembly in January
following a split in the opposition. He proceeded to
set up a <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14759">parallel
parliament</a> composed largely of substitute and
exiled legislators, which retains support from the US,
regional allies, and the European Union.</p>
<p>The dissident opposition faction currently at the
helm of the National Assembly under President Luis
Parra, as well as pro-government legislators, will
very likely be excluded from the payout. Parra and
other opposition figures were <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14764">sanctioned</a>
after breaking ranks with Guaido in January.</p>
<p>Guaido has yet to gain access to the $80 million,
which the Trump administration must reportedly approve
by granting a special license access to a five-member
commission.</p>
<p>Washington has repeatedly dispensed funds to the
Venezuelan opposition, including $98 million in <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14685">October</a>
and $52 million in <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14668">September</a>
of last year.</p>
<p>The Venezuelan opposition under Guaido was dogged by
corruption scandals in the second half of 2019. The
opposition leader’s envoys to Colombia were revealed
to have <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14545">embezzled</a>
hundreds of thousands of dollars of “humanitarian aid”
destined for deserting soldiers, while corruption <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14739">allegations</a>
hang over the opposition’s management of a Venezuelan
petrochemical subsidiary in Colombia. Guaido also came
under fire after photos surfaced showing him posing
alongside notorious Colombian drug lords <a
href="https://venezuelanalysis.com/news/14656">Los
Rastrojos</a>.</p>
<p><em>With additional reporting by Ricardo Vaz from
Mérida.</em></p>
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