Musk readying to come to White House, impose 'fascist vision': Maduro

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 Aug 2024 09:07

Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia claims he is "ready for dialogue" and asks incumbent president Nicolas Maduro to cede office.

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks to supporters during a pro-government rally, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024. (AP)

Progress is being made and peace is prevailing, indicated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday, referring to how citizens are resuming their daily economic activities, despite the violence that erupted following the results of the June 28 presidential elections.

Maduro emphasized during his TV program “Con Maduro +” that the Venezuelan opposition, distinct from the far right, does not seek fascism or violence but desires to work and continue fostering economic prosperity.

He lamented that the Venezuelan opposition no longer has political parties, leaders, doctrine, ideology, or "programmatic proposals", adding that the opposition has been reduced to "some influencers from Miami pouring hate."

In calling for an end to hatred, Maduro said he respects those who do not support him but insists on zero tolerance for fascism, violence, and aggression against people.

"Don’t want me, but you want Venezuela," he urged.

Maduro also addressed what he termed a "bot war", aimed at instilling hatred—a tactic he described as part of a fascist campaign.

The Venezuelan President indicated that billionaires, the new owners of the technological empire, and the new oligarchy believe they can seize power.

"Elon Musk is getting ready to come to the White House and impose his fascist vision,” said the Venezuelan President, but “that’s not going to happen," he added.

Maduro had signed a decree banning Musk's X social media platform in the country for 10 days, citing the American billionaire's hostile interference in the country's affairs, most notably during the recently held presidential elections.

"By inciting hatred, fascism, civil war, death and confrontation among Venezuelans, Elon Musk has violated all Venezuelan laws... X is OUT of Venezuela for 10 days so they can make their case."

Before the vote count and audit were released, the US and other affiliated countries and prominent figures, including Musk, rushed to incite the Venezuelan opposition to strongly reject the results and urged the world to accept Venezuelan opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as the winner instead.

Gonzalez Urrutia urges Maduro to 'step aside'

Earlier on Monday, Urrutia announced that he is ready to negotiate a transition and urged the incumbent to "step aside".

"Mr. Nicolas Maduro, respect what all Venezuelans have decided... You and your government should step aside... I am ready for dialogue," Gonzalez Urrutia, a retired diplomat, declared in a video message posted on social media.

"Every day that you hinder the democratic transition, Venezuelans suffer from a country in crisis, and without freedom. Clinging to power only makes the suffering of our people worse. Our time has come," he said.

Since the election, Gonzalez Urrutia and fellow opposition leader Maria Corina Machado—who was barred from running—have gone into hiding as prosecutors have launched an investigation against both for reportedly "announcing a false winner," instigating disobedience and insurrection, and conspiracy.

Gonzalez Urrutia has not been seen publicly in weeks, while Machado appeared at an opposition rally in Caracas on Saturday. The protest was the latest in a series following the July election, in which Maduro claimed victory for a third six-year term.

Maduro on Saturday accused Gonzalez Urrutia, who last appeared in public at a protest on July 30, of trying to flee the country.

"He's hiding in a cave. And he's preparing his escape from Venezuela. Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia is taking the money and going to Miami," the incumbent president told supporters at a rally outside the Miraflores presidential palace.

He has called for Machado and Gonzalez Urrutia to be arrested, accusing them of seeking to foment a "coup d'etat."

The National Electoral Council (CNE) had announced incumbent President Nicolas Maduro as the winner with 52% of votes, but the results have been met with rejection from the opposition, the United States, the European Union, and several Latin American countries, calling on Venezuelan authorities to publish election data.

The CNE confirmed that it has been unable to release the vote breakdown due to a "cyber terrorist attack" on its systems.

The opposition contends that its own tally of polling station results showed Gonzalez Urrutia, 74, securing more than two-thirds of the votes. But Venezuela's Electoral Chamber has confirmed that the candidate has defied a Supreme Court order by failing to appear at a hearing to present the voting records from the July 28 presidential elections.

Maduro's win also sparked nationwide Western-backed riots and violence, which left dozens killed, injured, and detained. Official sources reported that 25 people have been killed, 192 injured, and 2,400 arrested in election-related protests.

Maduro has accused the opposition of attempting a coup, telling his supporters on Sunday: "They will never be able to defeat us, because we carry with us the force of history, the force of the nation, the force of God. We won."