Juan Guaidó rejected Alberto Fernández's statements: “Denying the dictatorship does not help Venezuelans”

Opposition leader Juan Guaidó on Monday rejected Argentine President Alberto Fernández's assurance that Venezuela's human rights problems “have dissipated over time,” because, according to the interior president, “denying the dictatorship does not help Venezuelans.”

“President Alberto Fernández: if you want to help Venezuela, demand with us free and fair elections, with conditions set out in the recent (European Union) EU report, demand justice for victims of human rights violations, as indicated by the UN and the ICC. Denying the dictatorship doesn't help Venezuelans,” Guaidó wrote on his Twitter account.

In his view, Venezuela “wants the best relations with Argentina and all countries,” but he argued that this is possible only “in democracy.”

“The denial attitude to a dictatorship revictimizes millions of migrants and refugees, thousands of victims of crimes against humanity and an entire society that resists,” the opponent added.

The Argentine president, who asked Latin America to review its ties with Venezuela, said that many of this nation's problems “have been dissipating over time,” thanks, in part, to the work of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, and the agreements reached within the framework of the International Contact.

Guaidó agreed with fellow opponent Olivia Lozano, who considered Fernández's statement “irresponsible” and “shameful.”

On Monday, during a joint meeting with Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso, Fernández called on all countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to “regain full diplomatic ties with Venezuela”, considering that their problems “have been dissipating” and that “they have been moving forward in their electoral process.”

This statement aroused criticism from US Senator Marco Rubio, who warned that in Argentina “they recognize Maduro's illegitimate narco-dictator,” and Human Rights Watch, where they stressed that Venezuela will not “function normally” again if reality is “hidden.”

“We think that the time has also come to talk about Venezuela, which is a recurring theme, and as a first step Argentina wants to regain its full diplomatic link with Venezuela. It is a step that we are taking and that I really call on all the countries of Latin America to review it, because Venezuela has had a difficult time,” said Alberto Fernández.

“The High Commissioner for Human Rights, my dear Michelle Bachelet, took action on the matter, intervened, helped, worked alongside the Government of Venezuela. Many of these problems have been dissipating over time. We are seeing how, based on the agreements reached by the contact group, Venezuela has progressed in its electoral process and we believe that it is time to help Venezuela regain its normal functioning as a country and as a society in the dialogue. The truth is not going to be achieved if we leave it alone, without ambassadors and without our attention. That is our position and I, who today is celebrating 100 days presiding over CELAC as pro tempore president, the truth is that I call on all the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean to rethink this. I also made that proposal today to President Lasso,” added the Argentine president, alluding to the fact that our country has not had an ambassador to Venezuela since 2015, when Mauricio Macri decided to remove Carlos Cheppi from office.

For his part, about this initiative Lasso limited himself to saying: “We are going to analyze it, we are not ready yet”.

As a result, US Senator Marco Rubio tweeted: “Alberto Fernández's Argentina welcomes the influence of #Kremlin in our region, as well as recognizing Maduro's illegitimate narco-dictator in Venezuela. This reckless diplomatic act poses a direct threat to the national security interests of the United States.”

(With information from EFE)

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