Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro has vowed to defeat a “crazed minority” that wants to remove him from power, determined to destabilize the country.
Maduro’s comments on Tuesday were the first he made public the day following opposition leader Juan Guaido defied him by returning home on Monday.
In a challenge to opposition leader Juan Guaidó, he called for “anti-imperialist marches” on Saturday to coincide with anti-government protests.
Maduro’s comments were the first since Guaidó defied him and returned to the country on Monday.
Separately, the US said it was considering imposing new sanctions to pressure Maduro to give up power.
The US envoy for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams, said it was hard to see a role for Maduro in future democratic elections.
“If he wanted to build a democratic Venezuela, he had the opportunity to do so, but he did not,” Abrams said.
As head of the opposition-led National Assembly, Guaidó proclaimed himself Venezuela’s interim president in January after the legislature declaredMaduro’s re-election last year illegitimate.
How did Maduro address the Guaidó challenge?
He has accused the opposition of trying to organize a coup with US help.
Speaking at an event marking the sixth anniversary of the death of his predecessor and political mentor, Hugo Chávez, Maduro said: “While a crazed minority continues with their hatred, with their bitterness, it’s their problem. We won’t pay attention to them, compatriots.”
In front of gathered military personnel, he added: “We’re going to stop them in their tracks, their work, the national union.
“Let the crazy minority continue with their bitterness, we’ll defeat them. For Chávez we’ll do it, for the great history of the country we’ll do it.”
