Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil responded on the Telegram platform to an article published by US Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, in which she stated that the government of Nicolás Maduro “has its days numbered” and that the United States seeks to “rebuild Venezuela” after his departure from power.
The Venezuelan diplomat described the statements as a clear promotion of a “regime change” policy, a practice that violates the UN Charter and constitutes illegitimate interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
In his response, Gil pointed out that Salazar openly reveals her status as a “servile agent of imperial power” by justifying military deployments and operations in the Caribbean that, according to the foreign minister, could constitute crimes against humanity.
“She too will have to answer for her actions,” Gil stated, referring to US actions in the region, including the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford, whose presence in the Southern Command’s area of responsibility is linked by analysts to a pressure campaign against Venezuela.
The Republican congresswoman, in her article published in US media, maintained that Washington is not contemplating a conventional military invasion, but rather a forced political transition. “Maduro could negotiate tomorrow, and that would be the smartest thing to do. There won’t be a war, but his time in power is running out,” Salazar said on the program Al Punto.
He also reiterated U.S. support for the Venezuelan opposition, stating that “the United States is clearing the way so that the Venezuelan opposition can enter Miraflores Palace and begin building its own future.”
The Venezuelan foreign minister countered these claims by recalling that twenty-six years of resistance have demonstrated that attempts at destabilization—such as violent protests, sabotage, economic sanctions, and illegitimate strikes—have failed to overthrow the legitimate government of Venezuela. “Much less will they be able to do so from Miami, with its bellicose rhetoric and colonial complex,” Gil pointed out.
Meanwhile, the Bolivarian National Armed Forces (FANB) activated the new phase of “Plan Independence 200,” a comprehensive defense operation that includes the deployment of land, air, naval, and missile units, as well as the Bolivarian Militia and citizen security agencies.
The Ministry of Defense reported that this phase aims to “guarantee the sovereignty and peace of the country” through the coordination of the Comprehensive Defense Directorate (ODDI) throughout Venezuelan territory.
The U.S. naval deployment, led by the USS Gerald Ford—the world’s largest aircraft carrier—is part of an operation against alleged drug trafficking, according to the U.S. Navy’s Southern Command.
Analysts point out that its presence in the Caribbean and along the Venezuelan coast is part of a broader geopolitical strategy. Since the beginning of September, the Pentagon has reported twenty operations in the Caribbean and the Pacific, with the elimination of 76 suspected drug traffickers.
IMAGE CREDIT: Foreign Minister Yván Gil responds to statements by US Congresswoman María Elvira Salazar, who asserted that the Maduro government “has its days numbered.” Photo: EFE
[ SOURCE: teleSUR ]
