Venezuela's President has responded to the revelation by the US President that the CIA is operating in Venezuela, a development occurring in one of this country's closest South American neighbours.
00:00Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro has responded to the revelation by U.S. President Donald Trump that the U.S. spy agency, the CIA, is operating in Venezuela, a nation which is one of Trinidad and Tobago's closest South American neighbors.
00:15During a televised speech on Wednesday night, President Maduro said, quote, note a regime change which reminds us so much of the endless failed wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, and so on. Note a CIA orchestrated coup d'etat which recalled that 30,000 disappeared in the CIA-backed coup against Argentina, end quote.
00:39The Central Intelligence Agency, the CIA, says on its website, it is a government agency that provides objective intelligence on foreign countries and global issues to the U.S. President, the U.S. National Security Council, and other U.S. policymakers to help them make national security decisions.
00:57President Maduro has said the recent deployment of the U.S. military in the Caribbean is an attempt at regime change in Venezuela. The U.S. says it is conducting a war on drug cartels in the region.
01:07During a media conference in the White House on Wednesday, President Trump said, quote, we are certainly looking at land now because we've got the sea very well under control, end quote.
01:18Curious, why did you authorize the CIA to go into Venezuela? And is there more information you can share about these strikes on the alleged drug busts in the Caribbean?
01:27Well, I can't do that, but I authorize for two reasons, really. Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America.
01:35They came in through the border. They came in because we had an open border policy. And as soon as I heard that, I said, a lot of these countries, they're not the only country, but they're the worst abuser.
01:47The CIA further says on its website that its role is to stop threats before they happen. And to further U.S. national security objectives, it collects foreign intelligence, produces objective analysis, and conducts covert action as directed by the president.
02:03Does the CIA have authority to take out Maduro?
02:06Oh, I don't want to answer a question like that. That's a ridiculous question for me to be given. Not really a ridiculous question, but wouldn't it be a ridiculous question for me to answer?
02:17But I think Venezuela is feeling heat, but I think a lot of other countries are feeling heat, too. We're not going to let this country, our country, be ruined because other people want to drop, as you say, their worst.
02:29In a statement on Facebook, President Maduro said, quote, Venezuela is a country of decent, honest, hardworking, solidarity, and human people.
02:38Therefore, discriminatory and xenophobic statements that seek to compare Venezuelan identity with criminal groups already finished in our country must cease, end quote.
Be the first to comment