Maduro Tells Trump to ‘Stop Meddling In Latin American Affairs’

Local Editor

The US must abandon its interventionist policy towards Venezuela and steer clear of the internal affairs of other Latin American countries, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said in a message to US President Donald Trump.

In an interview with RT Spanish, Maduro stressed that his country strives to live peacefully with its neighbors, calling on Trump to yield to reason and put an end to his administration's aggressive policy towards the Venezuelan government.

"As a president, I appeal to him, to President Donald Trump: Stop aggression towards Venezuela. Venezuela is a fundamental basis of stability in the whole Caribbean Basin," Maduro said, adding that he hopes his words do not fall on deaf ears.

"Think well, US strategists, Venezuela wants to live in peace, it wants to live quietly. Stop your aggression," Maduro said. He added that in the worst case scenario, "the Bolivarian revolution will have to take up arms and we will be again fighting under the same flag and across our border."

Slamming the US for its attempt to disrupt Venezuela's economy with an "indirect blockade" targeting the country's financial system, Maduro said that Venezuela is ready for "any scenario."

The ultimate goal of that blockade is to trigger a default of Venezuela's economy, Maduro argued, adding that the US attempted to do the same thing in 2015 and 2016, with no success.

"We have economic power, economic capacity. Venezuela [has] always paid all its bills, met its obligations. And it will do so in 2017, 2018, and 2019," he assured, adding that Venezuela's economic well-being is not exclusively dependent on Washington.

"If we suffer a blow from the north, the roads leading to the west, to the south, and to the east, fortunately, will stay open for Venezuela," Maduro stressed.

Weighing in on Venezuela's ongoing unrest which has been ravaging the Latin American country since April, Maduro said he believes the solution to the crisis will only be reached "through democracy, popular vote."

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team