translated from Spanish: Almagro charges against Maduro and Bachelet’s statements on his behalf

There is no “magic formula” to get out of the “dictatorship,” said the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, who also stated on Wednesday that the claim of the last week from UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet that sanctions against the government of Nicolas Maduro have “exacerbated” the Venezuelan crisis.
“All international actions that help Maduro remain in power, such as statements like this by the High Commissioner for Human Rights, are a very tough sanction for the Venezuelan people, because they give air to an opprobtive regime,” said the head of the OAS .
“If we’re going to talk about the effect of sanctions on the Venezuelan people (…) the strongest sanction that the Venezuelan people have had has been the corruption of the mature system and the high commissioner of human rights should have begun, referring to this point,” Almagro said at a press conference in Medellin, where he is held until the 49th General Assembly of the OAS.
In his visit to Venezuela last week, Bachelet expressed concern about foreign sanctions imposed on the Maduro administration because they have “exacerbated” the “pre-existing economic crisis.” “I get a pain in the situation in Venezuela, it hurts because I see what happens to people,” Bachelet said then. In this regard, Almagro noted that the Maduro government has “stolen” $80 billion, “that is the lowest estimated figure”, which is equivalent to “an updated Marshall Plan”, referring to US aid for the reconstruction of Europe after World War II.
Therefore, the Secretary General of the OAS opined that Bachelet should have considered that the main problem “are the thieves who are seated in the Venezuelan dictatorship”. The second worst penalty, according to Almagro, is “the 40,000 barrels of oil that Cuba steals from Venezuela, which is practically taken on its own.” “That’s the second worst sanction on the Venezuelan people, so I should have started there,” he added.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro warned on Wednesday that he will be “relentless” with the opposition if he tries to stage a coup d’état, after his government denounced a plan to overthrow and assassinate him. “We would be relentless in a revolutionary counter-offensive to an attempted fascist coup, relentless!” the ruler said exaltedly in an act broadcast on a mandatory radio and television network.
“The complicity and participation of Ivan Duque and the Colombian government in this fascist attempt to assassinate me is evident (…). The world must know that from Colombia it is conspiring and it is about subverting the order of Venezuela,” he said. “Donald Trump can’t, he won’t be able to bandits: (John) Bolton, Elliott Abrams, (Mike) Pence, (Mike) Pompeo, Marco Rubio, he won’t be able to bandit against Venezuela,” he let go defiantly.

Original source in Spanish