VP Pence tells Russia to ceaseĀ all support for the Maduro regime and stand with Juan Guaido.
Fuller Pence remarks. Please check against transcript.
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āIt is a greatĀ honor to be able to welcome the first lady of Venezuela here to the White House. It is extraordinary to see what Fabiana and her courageous husband, interimĀ PresidentĀ Juan Guaidó have done for freedom in Venezuela already.ā
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āJuan Guaidó is theĀ only legitimate president of Venezuela. Venezuela is inĀ crisis after years of dictatorship and oppression. NineĀ out of 10 people in Venezuela live in poverty, three million people in Venezuela have fled their countryĀ under the brutalĀ regime of Nicolas Maduro.ā
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āNicolas MaduroĀ is a dictator withĀ no legitimate claim to power. It is the policy of theĀ United States of America, under the direction ofĀ President DonaldĀ Trump, thatĀ Nicolas Maduro must go.ā
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āIt wasĀ our great honor, when your husband took the oath of office as the legitimate president of Venezuela, toĀ be the first nation on earth to recognizeĀ Juan Guaidó as the presidentĀ of Venezuela.Ā To see him and his courageous wife stand before the crowds, take the oath of office under the constitution of Venezuela, was inspiring not just to people across our hemisphereĀ and across this country but all over the world.ā
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āWe call on nations all across theĀ hemisphere to joinĀ with us to stand for freedom in Venezuela. We call on nations across the world who are supporting the corrupt regime of Nicolas Maduro to end that support.ā
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āThe United States views RussiaāsĀ arrival of military planes this weekend as an unwelcome provocation and we call on Russia today to ceaseĀ all support for the Maduro regime and stand withĀ Guaidó stand with nations across this hemisphere and around the world until freedomĀ is restored.ā
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āOur message very simply isĀ weāre with you and the United States is going toĀ standĀ with you, stand with your courageous husband, standĀ with the freedom- loving people of Venezuela.ā
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Pool was then ushered out, to be replaced by the regular White House pool because President Trump was coming in.
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