We stand in firm condemnation of the ongoing assault on democracy and human rights in Venezuela. Nicolás Maduro’s unconstitutional swearing-in represents a direct affront to the will of the Venezuelan people, who spoke unequivocally in the landslide vote this past July in favor of Edmundo González—the legitimate president-elect of Venezuela. It is Edmundo González, not Maduro, who should be taking the oath before the Venezuelan people as their rightful president.
In response to Maduro’s illegitimate spectacle, the governments of Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union have imposed additional sanctions against the Maduro regime, underscoring their collective rejection of his autocratic consolidation of power. The U.S. State Department has further increased its bounty for information leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro and Diosdado Cabello from $15 million to $25 million, reaffirming the global demand for accountability for their crimes.
Maduro’s regime continues to demonstrate its fear of democracy by resorting to repression, including the kidnapping and subsequent release of opposition leader María Corina Machado, after the protests that took place in Caracas on Thursday January 9th. The kidnapping was aimed at discrediting her image to create distrust in the eyes of Venezuelans, and it represented an attack, not only on her, but on every Venezuelan fighting for a democratic and free future. Maduro put in place intensified security and military measures to prevent Gonzalez’s entry to Venezuela on January 10th to be sworn in. The measure included the closing of terrestrial borders, closing of Venezuela’s airspace, and activation of anti aerial missiles.
The presence of authoritarian figures such as Daniel Ortega (Nicaragua) and Miguel Díaz-Canel (Cuba) at Maduro’s self-proclamation ceremonyunderscores the disturbing alliance of dictators dedicated to erode liberty across the region.
Both Edmundo González and María Corina Machado, have addressed the Venezuelan people and international community, affirming their commitment to restoring democracy. They made it clear that the fight for Venezuela’s democracy continues.. They called for international support for Gonzalez as the rightful president and urged Venezuelans to continue exercising their right to peaceful protest in the face of tyranny. Their courage and leadership will be critical in the coming weeks.
The World Liberty Congress urges the international community to escalate pressure against the Maduro regime, uphold the legitimacy of Edmundo González as Venezuela’s rightful president, and demand the immediate release of all political prisoners. The Venezuelan people’s fight for freedom, justice, and democracy will not be silenced—and we stand in resolute solidarity with them.
