VENEZUELA-COLOMBIA/MADURO Venezuela's Maduro lashes out at capitalism, Colombian paramilitaries and says OAS should die

Record ID: 142726

  • Title: VENEZUELA-COLOMBIA/MADURO Venezuela's Maduro lashes out at capitalism, Colombian paramilitaries and says OAS should die
  • Date: 25th August 2015
  • Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 24, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT NICOLAS MADURO AHEAD OF NEWS CONFERENCE MEDIA NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT, SAYING: "We're looking for a new border, the border is rotten, the border is rotten. We are victims of capitalism, of the Colombian right-wing paramilitary model of capitalism." TACHIRA, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 24, 2015) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF PEOPLE CROSSING BORDER FROM COLOMBIA TO VENEZUELA VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WAITING ON THE VENEZUELAN SIDE TO CROSS BORDER TO COLOMBIA CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 24, 2015) (REUTERS) MEDIA LISTENING TO MADURO JOURNALIST ASKING QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) NICOLAS MADURO, VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT, SAYING: "If I were asked as a member of a political party if we need someone from the OAS (Organization of American States) to come, I would say that I don't even want them on the corner. The OAS should die and die in peace and hopefully, (OAS Secretary-General Luis) Almagro will be the OAS' gravedigger." NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 9th September 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEPQ7MH51S58RQFYRCWM2EEY3U
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: As tension remains high between Venezuela and Colombia over their porous border, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro appeared on state television on Monday (August 25) and blamed Colombian paramilitaries for his country's woes.
    Last week, Maduro ordered the closure of two border crossings after a shootout between smugglers and troops left three soldiers wounded. He later declared a 60-day state of emergency in five border municipalities and extended the border closing indefinitely.
    Speaking on Monday evening, Maduro blamed Colombian paramilitaries, smugglers and former Colombian President Alvaro Uribe for many of crisis-hit Venezuela's woes.
    "We're looking for a new border, the border is rotten, the border is rotten. We are victims of capitalism, of the Colombian right-wing paramilitary model of capitalism," said Maduro in a two-hour televised speech.
    The country suffers shortages of basic goods, soaring inflation and the world's second highest murder rate, according to U.N. data.
    The porous 2,219-kilometer (1,379-mile) border shared by the two countries is frequently traversed by smugglers moving price-fixed goods from Venezuela to Colombia for profit, as well as illegal armed groups.
    Though most economists blame chronic shortages on strict currency controls that crimp imports, Maduro alleges right-ring foes, including ones in neighbouring Colombia, are seeking to sabotage his leftist government.
    The countries' foreign ministers will meet on Wednesday to discuss the situation, said Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos who met with the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, to discuss the issue.
    In Bogota, Almagro stressed dialogue, but Maduro said the multilateral OAS, which often monitors elections in the region, should 'die' as an institution.
    "If I were asked as a member of a political party if we need someone from the OAS (Organization of American States) to come, I would say that I don't even want them on the corner. The OAS should die and die in peace and hopefully, (OAS Secretary-General Luis) Almagro will be the OAS' gravedigger," he said.
    Venezuelan law does not allow any international body to monitor elections.
    Maduro has previously sparred with the OAS which has expressed concern over the human rights situation in Venezuela.
    Meanwhile, Uribe published a number of tweets attacking Maduro on Monday, calling him a dictator and accusing him of protecting "terrorists." He said he was on his way to Cucuta, a Colombian border town on the main crossing with Venezuela.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register