The governor of Puerto Rico requested that President-elect Donald Trump take a stand against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s threats to invade the U.S. island territory.
Maduro made the threatening statements in question during the International Anti-Fascist Festival in Venezuela’s capital city of Caracas, where he invoked the revolutions sparked by former Venezuelan leader Simon Bolivar that liberated swaths of Latin America from the Spanish Empire.
“Just as in the north they have a colonization agenda, we have a liberation agenda,” Maduro said at the event. “And our agenda was written by Simón Bolívar. The freedom of Puerto Rico is pending, and we will achieve it with Brazilian troops […] leading the way.”
Puerto Rican Gov. Jenniffer Gonzalez-Colon published a letter to social media Monday in which she expressed concern about Maduro’s agenda and demanded that Trump take an active role in protecting Puerto Rico after his inauguration.
“This is an open threat to the United States, our national security, and stability in the region,” Gonzalez wrote in the letter. “I trust your incoming administration will swiftly respond and make clear to the Maduro regime that, under your leadership, the United States will protect American lives and sovereignty and will not bow down to the threats of petty, murderous dictators.”
“As Governor of Puerto Rico, I am ready to work with you and your administration to counter this and other threats posed by the illegitimate Maduro dictatorship and support the people of Venezuela in their quest for freedom,” she continued. “I also look forward to engaging in meaningful discussion on how to best enhance Puerto Rico’s national security role and take a strong stance against the growing presence of our adversaries in the region.”
Maduro was sworn into his third presidential term Friday at the legislative palace in Caracas. The streets surrounding the palace were filled with supporters and demonstrators as Maduro began a term that will last until 2031.
Venezuelan opposition activists said voting data collected from approximately 80% of machines used in the July election show their candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez, received twice as many votes as Maduro.
Maduro and the ruling government ignored these accusations and pushed the president as the legitimate victor within hours of polls closing. Election authorities never released final vote tallies.
The U.S. government has roundly condemned the Maduro regime as illegitimate and upped its reward for the arrest of the Venezuelan dictator or his closest associates.
“The Department of State is increasing the reward offers to up to $25 million each for information leading to the arrest and/or convictions of Maduro and Maduro’s named Minister of Interior, Justice, and Peace Diosdado Cabello, as well as adding a new reward of up to $15 million for Maduro’s named Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino,” the U.S. Treasury Department announced Friday.
Venezuela’s opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, was briefly kidnapped by the regime last week after emerging from hiding to attend a protest against Maduro’s inauguration.
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The abduction drew a rebuke from Trump, who warned that Machado “should not be harmed, and MUST stay SAFE and ALIVE!”
She was released several hours after her kidnapping.
