US Strongly Condemns Detention Of Venezuelan Opposition Parliament Speaker

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 14th January, 2019) US National Security Adviser John Bolton and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo condemned on Sunday the actions of the Venezuelan intelligence services, who detained Juan Guaido, speaker of the National Assembly, the country's opposition parliament.

A message posted on Guaido's Twitter page claimed he had been seized by Venezuelan intelligence agents on the way to a political rally, just days after he said he was prepared to take over as the nation's interim president. The speaker of the opposition-controlled National Assembly was later released.

"We denounce the arbitrary detention of #NationalAssembly President @jguaido by Venezuelan Intelligence Chief Manuel Cristopher Figuera. We call on security forces to uphold the constitution and rights of the Venezuelan people. The U.S. and world are watching," Pompeo wrote on Twitter.

Bolton also said that the United States strongly condemns the incident.

"We strongly condemn the Maduro dictatorship's arrest today of National Assembly President Juan Guaido. Such acts of intimidation by Maduro's Cuban-sponsored secret police (SEBIN), led by Gen. Manuel Christopher Figueroa, represent a grave assault on the rule of law in Venezuela," Bolton wrote on Twitter.

On Thursday, Nicolas Maduro took the oath of office as the president of Venezuela until 2025. The Organization of American States (OAS), members of the Lima Group (with the exception of Mexico) and the United States declared non-recognition of Maduro's new term. On Friday, the Washington-based Venezuelan Supreme Court in Exile called on Guaido to take over the presidency. Guaido himself declared his readiness to do so, saying that the constitution allows him to call new elections.