VOA常速英语:委内瑞拉:瓜伊多再次当选国会主席

Venezuelaninterim President Juan Guaido was re-elected president of Venezuela’s NationalAssembly with 100 votes – a clear majority of the 167-member legislature.

U.S.Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams congratulated InterimPresident Guaido on his victory:

“Welook forward to working this year with Juan Guaido, with the firm majority ofthe Venezuelan parliament, who continue to support democracy, with Venezuela’sdemocratic political parties, and with the millions of Venezuelans who want thedictatorship to end.”

Formonths, corrupt Venezuelan regime officials engaged in a campaign of arrests,intimidation, and bribery to prevent elected members of the National Assembly –the Deputies – from freely casting their votes. When these tactics failed tosecure enough support for Maduro in the National Assembly, Maduro dispatchedhis security forces on election day to block Juan Guaido and his supportersfrom entering the Federal Legislative Palace. In response, Venezuela’spolitical parties gathered in another location, and in a resounding display ofunity voted to re-elect Juan Guaido as president of the National Assembly.

“Thisre-election,” said U.S. Agency for International Development Administrator MarkGreen, “is a testament to the bravery and sacrifice of the people of Venezuela,Interim President Guaido, and members of the National Assembly.”

TheUnited States applauds Interim President Guaido’s decision to leave theleadership of the Voluntad Popular Party, and to work instead on building abroad alliance of civil society groups, non-governmental organizations, tradeunions, and all Venezuelans who want to end the Maduro dictatorship, which hasbrought years of economic ruin and oppression.

TheUnited States is committed to supporting the National Assembly as Venezuela’sonly democratically-elected government institution. Through diplomacy andsanctions, the United States is applying greater pressure on Maduro and thosewho aid and abet him – whether inside or outside of Venezuela. “We have nodoubt that Venezuelans will win their struggle and return their country todemocracy,” declared Special Representative Abrams.

Therepression and poverty of Venezuela, which has already forced more than fifteenpercent of the population to flee the country, will begin to end only whendemocracy fully returns. “We look forward to that day,” said Secretary of StateMike Pompeo, “and recommit ourselves to supporting Interim President Guaido,the National Assembly, and free and fair elections.”