On Monday, President Nicolas Maduro asserted that Venezuela does not need the United States to grant it oil licenses to move towards economic development and well-being.
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"Venezuela does not need licenses to grow, develop, and embark on its own paths towards economic and social well-being, political stability, and peace," he said, reaffirming that the United States failed to comply with agreements signed between the parties.
"At this point, all unilateral and illegal coercive measures imposed against the country should have already been lifted. However, instead of fulfilling commitments that were signed, they revoked a license that they themselves had assigned," the Venezuelan president stated.
Maduro also emphasized that the United States did not fulfill "not even a comma" of the agreement signed in October 2023 in Qatar, which emerged after intense negotiations in Qatar and Milan, as well as after about ten virtual and in-person conferences.
"Nobody controls Venezuela. Venezuela is not anyone's colony," the Bolivarian leader emphasized, rejecting the attitude adopted by the United States.
Ecuadorian Right-Wing Defeated in Referendum
Referring to the referendum held on Sunday, Maduro congratulated Ecuadorians for rejecting two questions through which President Daniel Noboa sought to establish fixed-term hourly employment contracts and allow international arbitration in State-Investor disputes.
"These questions affected Ecuador's sovereignty over its natural resources. The Ecuadorian people gave Noboa a beating and said: NO," the Venezuelan leader emphasized.
He confirmed that all Venezuelan diplomatic and consular personnel in Ecuador have returned to their country. This decision was made in solidarity with Mexico after Ecuadorian security forces assaulted the Mexican embassy in Quito, from which former Ecuadorian vice president Jorge Glas was removed.
"Our Embassy will remain closed until they return Jorge Glas to Mexico and restore international law," Maduro said.
"Daniel Noboa dared to assault Mexican territory... He did it because he is a right-wing extremist. He did it under authorization and orders from the United States to attack Mexico and President Lopez Obrador," he added.
Rejection of U.S. Resources for War
The Venezuelan president rejected the decision of the U.S. House of Representatives regarding the approval of US$95 billion in new military aid to Ukraine, Israel, and other Washington allies.
"They don't approve a single dollar for development, but they approve resources for war. How many schools in Africa and Latin America could be built with US$95 billion! How many projects could be executed to produce food and end famine in the world!" he said.
"Why doesn't the United States approve US$95 billion for the development of our nations and to end migration from Latin America and the Caribbean?" he asked.
"They don't approve a single dollar for development and approve US$95 billion for war because war is the Empire's big business."
Venezuelan Presidential Elections
Regarding the elections on July 28, Maduro presented data from an opinion poll showing that over 55 percent of the population supports the candidate of the Bolivarian Revolution.
"Chavismo remains the main political force. Chavismo is a living, active, unified, and diverse force that is expressed through the powerful United Socialist Party of Venezuela and the powerful Great Patriotic Pole," he said, emphasizing that Bolivarian and Chavista militants are in every community and street of Venezuela.
The 2024 National Popular Consultation
Regarding the 2024 National Popular Consultation held on Sunday, Maduro highlighted the presence of international observers from countries such as Barbados, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Jordan.
"They confirmed the our electoral system's efficiency and transparency," the Bolivarian leader said and described the consultation as a process with "absolute, grandiose, and beautiful" success given that it allowed people to choose development projects for their communities.
Therefore, the Venezuelan president proposed holding "National Popular Consultations" every three months to institutionalize the power of grassroots communities.
World Earth Day
On the occasion of World Earth Day, Maduro warned that humanity is experiencing an environmental emergency that is having the greatest impact on developing countries.
"We, the countries of the Global South, are the most affected by an emergency involving climate and ocean warming, species disappearance, and floods and droughts," he said, recalling the words of the late Commander Hugo Chavez, who reiterated on several occasions the need to save the planet.