US Secretary of State Antony Blinken Talks With Juan Guaido

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken held a telephone conversation with Venezuelan opposition politician Juan Guaidó on Tuesday in line with Joe Biden's administration continuing its policy of pressure against Venezuela's constitutional order.

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"Secretary Blinken outlined our efforts to work with like-minded allies, including the European Union, the Lima Group, the Organization of American States (OAS), and the International Contact Group, to increase multilateral pressure and promote a transition, democratic and peaceful" the State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

After installing Venezuela's National Assembly on January 5, 2021, Guaidó further lost all constitutional rights within political leadership in the country. As president of the National Assembly declared in contempt by the Venezuelan court, he self-proclaimed Venezuela's president in 2019 and received the support of the U.S. and its allies, who have used him to impose political changes that best suit their interests in Venezuela.

However, even U.S. lawmakers have highlighted the failed policy towards Venezuela. In August last year, the democrat senator Chris Murphy said during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee that "Trump recognized Guaidó as the leader, thinking that he would drive Venezuelans (and military leaders friends of Maduro) to the side of Guaidó. The opposite happened."

"It's a total disaster. After a year and a half, Maduro is stronger, American influence is weaker, and there is no viable path to restore democracy in Venezuela. A case study in international relations malpractice," the lawmaker recalled via Twitter.

Moreover, in January 2021, the European Union stopped recognizing Guaidó as interim president, instead is addressing him as the leader of the opposition.

However, after Tuesday's statement, Joe Biden clarified that his approach to Venezuela wouldn't be much different from his predecessor, Donald Trump. The statement explains that Blinken "stressed the importance of a return to democracy in Venezuela through free and fair elections." Hence, to them, Guaido seems to be the only alternative available within a fragmented opposition that could not even organize itself to challenge the progressive forces in the December 6 parliamentary elections.

According to a White House unnamed official quoted by Reuters, "Biden administration was in "no rush" to lift U.S. sanctions on Venezuela imposed by former President Donald Trump but would consider easing them if Maduro takes confidence-building steps showing he is ready to negotiate seriously with the opposition."