US Denies Offering Amnesty to Venezuelan Leader Maduro

Miss Emmie Reinger
August 13, 2024 03:03am
138

The US State Department has denied a report claiming that the Biden administration offered amnesty to Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in exchange for his resignation. The department stated that it has not made any offers to Maduro since his reelection.

The US State Department has vehemently denied a report published by the Wall Street Journal that alleged the Biden administration offered Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro amnesty in exchange for his resignation. Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel asserted during a press briefing on Monday that "That is not true. We have not made any offers to Maduro or others since this election."

This denial contradicts information provided by "three people familiar with the Biden administration deliberation[s]," who claimed that secret meetings were held between the US and Venezuela in Doha, Qatar in June and September 2023. The Wall Street Journal report suggested that amnesty was discussed as a potential incentive for Maduro to step down before the end of his term.

US Denies Offering Amnesty to Venezuelan Leader Maduro

However, Maduro has reportedly been unwilling to entertain any discussions regarding his departure from office. Following the national election last month, international calls have been mounting for Maduro to relinquish his power due to mounting evidence indicating that he lost to opposition leader Edmundo González.

Despite these calls, Maduro has remained adamant in his position. Secretary of State Antony Blinken echoed these sentiments, stating that "none have concluded that Nicolás Maduro received the most votes this election."

US Denies Offering Amnesty to Venezuelan Leader Maduro

"Given the overwhelming evidence, it is clear to the United States and, most importantly, to the Venezuelan people that Edmundo González Urrutia won the most votes in Venezuela’s July 28 presidential election," Blinken emphasized.

The UN General Assembly has offered to mediate the election results as a third party to address the escalating unrest in Venezuela. However, Maduro's regime has responded with the arrest of thousands of protesters and dissidents, maintained military loyalty, and appointed a pro-Maduro Supreme Court to handle election disputes.