President Joe Biden has spoken with Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido on the telephone, despite being among the officials missing from the Summit of the Américas.
By Washington Examiner – Naomi Lim
Jun 8, 2022
“President Biden expressed his support for Venezuelan-led negotiations as the best path toward a peaceful restoration of democratic institutions, free and fair elections, and respect for the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Venezuelans,” the White House readout stated.
“They discussed the role the United States and other international partners can play to support a negotiated solution to Venezuela’s crisis,” the readout added. “President Biden reaffirmed the United States is willing to calibrate sanctions policy as informed by the outcomes of negotiations that empower the Venezuelan people to determine the future of their country.”
The United States continues to recognize Guaido as Venezuela’s interim president, according to national security adviser Jake Sullivan, en route to Los Angeles for the Summit of the Americas conference.
Sullivan denied Guaido was omitted from the guest list due to demands from Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who is also not in attendance in protest of Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua’s exclusion.
In Guaido’s stead, Sullivan contended the U.S. had invited Venezuelan civil society activists. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and senior administration officials earlier elaborated that representatives of Guaido’s interim government would be welcomed at three stakeholder forums but not at the main event.
Sullivan was additionally pushed for an update on talks between the U.S. and Venezuela to address the oil and gas supply shortage.
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Read More: Washington Examiner – Biden speaks with Venezuela’s Juan Guaido on phone amid summit snubs
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