President Maduro talks to AP (video)

In an interview with AP on Feb. 14, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro talks (in Spanish) about the phony U.S. offer of “humanitarian aid”. The interview was aired on Venezuela’s VTV channel. A partial transcript of the video follows:

The AP reporter asked, “Why do you fear that humanitarian aid?” referring to the U.S.’s demand that the Venezuelan government not block its delivery of so-called aid. President Maduro spoke strongly on behalf of the Venezuelan people who are not fooled by the Trojan horse offer of U.S. imperialism.

President Maduro’s response to AP: “I don’t fear it, I simply denounce it as a political campaign, politicized, part of a media war. We are not a country of beggars. Trump wants to help Venezuela? Why don’t he help 40 million poor people in the U.S.? 40 million hungry people in the United States. Why doesn’t he help Puerto Rico which he abandoned and only tossed toilet paper at them. Why don’t he really help the people of the United States who have no homes, who have died from the cold, have frozen.

“This is a media and political campaign to humiliate the Venezuelan people. Venezuela has to resolve its problems through work, through production.

“Think about this. Donald Trump has frozen $30 billion dollars, it has been sequestered, Venezuela’s money in assets and accounts abroad. And they offer $20 million in humanitarian aid. It is disproportionate, isn’t it? This simply exposes what his campaign is about.

“Venezuela receives, I tell you, Venezuela receives humanitarian aid on a permanent basis, technical assistance from the United Nations. And we will continue to receive more aid, to guarantee medicines and food for the country. But it is not a politicized plan, it is a plan, not a show. It is a plan based on the fact that Venezuela pays for its foodstuffs, pays for its raw material, pays for its medicines.

“But the U.S. persists. For example, in an account in Euroclear, $1.4 billion. We had a major shipment of medicines ready to import to satisfy the people’s needs for the year, a major shipment of raw materials for food. They froze our account, canceled our contracts. They strangle us, they rob our money and then say, “here, take our crumbs.” They want to mount an international show.

“Venezuela with dignity says, “No to an international spectacle.” Whoever wants to help Venezuela, welcome. But we have the capacity to pay for everything we need.”

People around the world are standing up for Venezuela. Let’s make a huge presence of resistance to U.S. aggression, in coming days and weeks, and say “Hands Off Venezuela!” at the White House, Sat. March 16! Visit www.answercoalition.org.