Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro has stated that he will not allow a civil war to break out, blaming foreign intervention for targeting the economy and driving recent protests, and guaranteeing that the country will not fall into the hands of “imperialism, fascism, and criminals.”
Speaking at a press conference at the Miraflores Palace in Caracas, Maduro warned that mischievous protestors who provoke violence would not be tolerated and that they knew who was supporting them.
His words came after opposition parties disputed Sunday’s election results, sparking violent protests that killed 12 people, two of whom were kids, injured hundreds, and resulted in over 700 arrests by authorities.
The country’s economy was being attacked, Maduro said, declaring that “Venezuela will not fall into the hands of imperialism, fascism, or criminals.”
“We want everything to be within the constitutional framework. We do not want to resort to other means to carry out a revolution,” he said.
The international community has urged President Nicolas Maduro to abandon his election triumph on Sunday, after the Venezuelan electoral board announced a landslide victory for the president with 51.2% of the vote, extending his rule for another six years.
The opposition and many members of the international community criticized the results, claiming fraud. Opposition leader Marina Corina Machado and presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez claimed to have 73 percent of the tally sheets, indicating that Gonzalez earned 70 percent of the vote.
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