Pompeo emphasizes support for Venezuela’s Guaidó after Trump suggests Maduro meeting
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday the United States will “continue to support” the interim president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Juan Guaidó.
Pompeo’s remark comes several days after President Donald Trump suggested a willingness to meet with Guaidó’s political nemesis, embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
A new book published by former National Security Adviser John Bolton revealed that Trump has questioned the strength of Guaidó, who is recognized by the United States as the country’s interim president, raising questions over the president’s continued support.
The secretary of state, speaking with reporters, repeated his assertion that the Maduro regime is “illegitimate” and announced new sanctions on Iranian ship captains who have recently delivered gasoline to Venezuela.
“The best pathway out of the Venezuelan crisis is through a broadly accepted transitional government to administer a free and fair presidential and parliamentary elections,” Pompeo said. “We will continue to support the National Assembly Interim President Guaido and the Venezuelan people in their quest to restore democracy.”
In an interview with Axios over the weekend, Trump said that he would “maybe think about” meeting with Maduro, noting that Maduro had expressed an interest in meeting and adding that he is “rarely opposed to meetings.”
He later clarified on Twitter that he would only meet with Maduro to discuss his peaceful exit from power and a transition to democratic elections.
Trump administration officials told McClatchy that there is no active planning to make a meeting happen.
Bryan Lowry contributed reporting.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 1:16 PM with the headline "Pompeo emphasizes support for Venezuela’s Guaidó after Trump suggests Maduro meeting."
