Unlike his constant critic, the socialist candidate Senator Bernie Sanders, President Trump has firmly taken a stance supporting Juan Guaido, the president of the opposition-held National Assembly and opponent to the Venezuelan dictatorial president Nicholas Maduro, who has presided over the utter devastation of his country. On Wednesday, Trump warmly welcomed Guaido, whom the Trump administration regards as the legitimate president of Venezuela, to the White House.
On January 10, 2019, Maduro was elected to a second six-year term after elections in May 2019 that were boycotted by the opposition and rejected by 12 Latin American nations. Guaido declared himself interim president on Jan. 23.
The White House released a statement regarding Guaido’s visit reading:
Today, President Donald J. Trump will welcome Interim President Juan Guaido of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the White House. The visit is an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of the United States to the people of Venezuela and to discuss how we can work with President Guaido to expedite a democratic transition in Venezuela that will end the ongoing crisis. We will continue to work with our partners in the region to confront the illegitimate dictatorship in Venezuela, and we will stand alongside the Venezuelan people to ensure a future that is democratic and prosperous.
On Tuesday night, Trump spoke of Guaido in his State of the Union Address, saying:
We are supporting the hopes of Cubans, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans to restore democracy. The United States is leading a 59-nation diplomatic coalition against the socialist dictator of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro. Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, a tyrant who brutalizes his people. But Maduro’s grip on tyranny will be smashed and broken.
Here this evening is a very brave man who carries with him the hopes, dreams, and aspirations of all Venezuelans. Joining us in the gallery is the true and legitimate president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó. Mr. President, please take this message back to your homeland. Thank you, Mr. President. Great honor. Thank you very much. Please take this message back that all Americans are united with the Venezuelan people in their righteous struggle for freedom.
In February 2019, Florida Democrats ripped Bernie Sanders after he refused to call Maduro a dictator, as Politico reported. Rep. Donna Shalala, who represented Venezuelan exiles, stated of Sanders, “He is not going to be the nominee of the Democratic Party. He has demonstrated again that he does not understand this situation. I absolutely disagree with his imprecision in not saying Maduro must go.”
Sanders also said he would not recognize Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela when Univision’s Jorge Ramos asked him if he would, answering, “No.”
Sanders was asked by the Council on Foreign Relations, “What, if any, additional steps should the United States take to remove Nicolas Maduro from power in Venezuela?” He replied:
My administration would support the negotiations between the Maduro government and the opposition, and work with other countries in our region, and the international community, to support the Venezuelan people’s right to build their own future. The United States should support the rule of law, fair elections and self-determination in Venezuela, as we should elsewhere. We would condemn the use of violence against unarmed protesters and the suppression of dissent.
We would also listen to the voices of Venezuelan activists themselves who warn against broad sanctions, such as the Trump administration’s oil sanctions, that mainly punish the people, not the government. My administration would not be in the business of regime change. The United States has a long history of inappropriately intervening in Latin American countries; we must not go down that road again.