What happened?
United States Vice President Mike Pence spoke at the United Nations Security Council on April 10, urging the U.N. to revoke the credentials of Venezuelan ambassador Samuel Moncada, CBS reported.
Pence voiced his support for Juan Guaido, the interim President of Venezuela, and encouraged the U.N. to recognize Guaido as the legitimate president of Venezuela. Guaido proclaimed himself the acting president of Venezuela in January. According to Al Jazeera, Guaido has been recognized by more than 50 countries that want President Nicolas Maduro to step down.
Pence addressed Moncada during the meeting.
“With all due respect, Mr. Ambassador, you shouldn’t be here,” Pence said. “You should return to Venezuela and tell Nicolas Maduro that his time is up.”
According to CBS, Pence told reporters that the U.S. is currently working on a resolution to revoke Moncada’s credentials.
In Context
In the wake of political unrest in Venezuela, 24 percent of the population is estimated to have urgent priority needs for assistance and protection, CBS reported.
On March 31, Venezuela experienced its third major blackout in the course of one month, affecting at least 70 percent of the country, including the capital of Caracas, according to CNN.
Maduro attributed the power outages to “cyber attacks,” accusing the U.S. and its allies inside the country of sabotaging power plants and the electricity grid, according to CNN.
Guaido attributed the blackouts to corruption and poor governance, according to Al Jazeera.
Hospitals throughout Venezuela have struggled to aid patients as a direct result of the blackouts. According to NBC News, at least 46 people died in hospitals as a result of the first blackout and at least six people died as a result of the second.
According to Al Jazeera, an estimated four million people in Venezuela are malnourished, and 22 percent of children under the age of five suffer from chronic malnutrition.
According to the Miami Herald, Maduro blocked humanitarian aid from entering Venezuela in February.
The Latest
Guaido called for protests against public service failures to be held April 10, according to Al Jazeera.
“Everyone to the streets, let’s start the final phase of the end of the usurpation,” Guaido said.
Following a meeting with the Red Cross Chief, Maduro said Venezuela is ready to receive international aid.
On April 10, Maduro said Pence’s remarks at the U.N. Security Council were “ridiculous and racist,” according to the Washington Post.
On April 11, Florida Sen. Rick Scott urged the U.S. military to send aid to Venezuela, according to the Miami Herald.
“It is becoming clear that we will have to consider the use of American military assets to deliver aid,” Sen. Scott said. “Maduro and his thugs have left us no choice.”
According to the Miami Herald, it is speculated that sending aid to Venezuela without the permission of Maduro would further political tension between Maduro and Guaido.
