Venezuela aspires to have a relationship with the government of President Joe Biden among equals, but for this Washington must “dismantle” its policy of sanctions and accusations against the Andean country and its authorities, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Félix Plasencia said today.
“The Government of Venezuela aspires to have relations with the US Government as equals. President Nicolás Maduro congratulated the triumph of President (Joe) Biden,” Plasencia said at a conference organized in Moscow by the Valdai debating club.
The foreign minister pointed out that Caracas does not judge the decision of the US people to elect one president or another, and therefore demands “the same respect from any country over Venezuela and especially in this case from the US government.”
“We are determined to have good relations with any government and we aspire to always have it based on respect for sovereignty and treatment between equals,” he emphasized.
“What if we aspire to have a better relationship with the government of President Biden? Of course, we do. Of course, we would like to have the best relationship with the US government,” he said.
He insisted that for this we must “demand that the US, if it wants to be more responsible, dismantle all that route of sanctions, decrees and declarations on Venezuela as a threat so that we can understand each other better and move towards a future that is going to be better for everyone. in the region, better for North America, for South America, the Caribbean, and Central America and from there also for the world. “
Plasencia stressed that Venezuela “does not persecute, sanction, or accuse any authority in the US.”
“They must dismantle this dynamic against the authorities, against the Government and the Venezuelan people,” he insisted. So “on this route we could surely advance in a better relationship,” he added.
“Anyone would hope that a president who has been vice president, who is a professional politician, who has received from his people the mandate of the highest authority, can understand that this person and this Government (of Venezuela) want to have a constructive dialogue with that Government and that American people “, he said.
The foreign minister recalled that the two countries are neighbors, living in the same region, and the US has long been Venezuela’s main trading partner.
“Hopefully they can understand that Venezuela is a sovereign State, that we are the descendants of the Liberator Simón Bolívar, proud of the force with which we expelled from our land two hundred years ago one of the most powerful empires of that time,” in allusion to Spain.
He recalled that the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, has said “time and again” that he is open to interact and have communication and contact with the US Government, “as members of the international community, as sovereign states that we are.”
“A few weeks ago in the UN General Assembly, we were sitting a few steps from the US. We participate as equals in the General Assembly. There is no reason for us to see each other differently, “ Plasencia stressed.
“That should be the dynamics of rapprochement and understanding. We should be able to dialogue among equals and respect our peoples, ” he added.