The United States is negotiating the departure of Nicolas Maduro from Venezuela in exchange for amnesty if he recognizes the victory of Edmundo González Urrutia, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday: According to the newspaper, the U.S. government has offered the Venezuelan president a way out with agreed-upon privileges if he leaves the country peacefully and recognizes the opposition’s victory in the presidential election.
According to sources close to the Miraflores Palace, Washington has offered amnesty and exile to senior Venezuelan government officials: but everything indicates that Maduro will reject the proposal, although his government’s position is not yet known. “Don’t interfere in Venezuela’s internal affairs, that’s all I ask,” Nicolás Maduro told Joe Biden.
However, according to the Wall Street Journal, the talks between the two countries “took place virtually” and the interlocutors were Jorge Rodriguez, the president of the Venezuelan Congress, and Daniel B. Erickson, a member of the White House Security Council.
Nicolas Maduro’s term will officially end in January 2025, but according to the newspaper, Washington insists that Maduro leave power before the US elections on November 5.
International pressure is mounting on Venezuela in the face of evidence of false election results published by the National Electoral Council. The opposition has published copies of the results that give the victory, by a large margin, to Edmundo González Urrutia, and not to Nicolás Maduro, as the ruling party claims, without providing evidence.
Nicolás Maduro has already requested an audit of the accounts of the Supreme Court of Justice, which is in the hands of judges linked to Chavismo, some of whom were even part of previous governments in Venezuela. Given the lack of integrity of the investigation being conducted by the courts, Edmundo González Urrutia did not appear when called to testify.
The NGO Foro Penal has already registered more than 1,300 arrests. According to this source, 117 of those arrested are minors. Moreover, more than 20 people have been killed during the protests. Among those arrested are a number of opposition politicians. Their families have reported threats of torture, with prison officials extorting money from them.
