US Vice President Mike Pence issued a rallying cry Tuesday to Venezuela's opposition on the eve of planned protest marches, calling President Nicolas Maduro a "dictator."
"As the good people of Venezuela make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say: estamos con ustedes. We are with you," Pence said in a tweet.
"We stand with you, and we will stay with you until Democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright of Libertad."
In an accompanying 100-second video, Pence branded Maduro "a dictator with no legitimate claim to power."
The vocal US support for the opposition is sure to anger Maduro, whose hard-left government frequently accuses Washington of meddling in the oil-rich but economically devastated country.
The opposition-controlled National Assembly -- declared invalid by the pro-Maduro Supreme Court -- has urged a day of protests on Wednesday. Tension is already high following what the government said was a failed rebellion by 27 soldiers on Monday.
In the video, Pence said Maduro "never won the presidency in a free and fair election and he's maintained his grip on power by imprisoning anyone who dares oppose him."
He said Washington sees the National Assembly as the "last vestige of democracy" and supports the body's "call for the establishment of a transition government."
"We will stay with you until democracy is restored," Pence said.
US Vice President Mike Pence issued a rallying cry Tuesday to Venezuela’s opposition on the eve of planned protest marches, calling President Nicolas Maduro a “dictator.”
“As the good people of Venezuela make your voices heard tomorrow, on behalf of the American people, we say: estamos con ustedes. We are with you,” Pence said in a tweet.
“We stand with you, and we will stay with you until Democracy is restored and you reclaim your birthright of Libertad.”
In an accompanying 100-second video, Pence branded Maduro “a dictator with no legitimate claim to power.”
The vocal US support for the opposition is sure to anger Maduro, whose hard-left government frequently accuses Washington of meddling in the oil-rich but economically devastated country.
The opposition-controlled National Assembly — declared invalid by the pro-Maduro Supreme Court — has urged a day of protests on Wednesday. Tension is already high following what the government said was a failed rebellion by 27 soldiers on Monday.
In the video, Pence said Maduro “never won the presidency in a free and fair election and he’s maintained his grip on power by imprisoning anyone who dares oppose him.”
He said Washington sees the National Assembly as the “last vestige of democracy” and supports the body’s “call for the establishment of a transition government.”
“We will stay with you until democracy is restored,” Pence said.
