12 August, 2017
The Trump administration has called Maduro a "dictator" and hit him and more than two dozen other former and current officials with sanctions on July 31, after the election of a constituent assembly that Washington said was "illegitimate". Energy sector sanctions, which could cripple Venezuela's already ailing economy, are still being considered, USA officials said.
Meanwhile, the ruling party's number two has warned that opposition candidates wanting to compete in upcoming elections would need certificates of "good conduct" from a newly installed Constituent Assembly stacked with Maduro loyalists.
"To all Venezuelans, the message is to continue in this struggle", said a bearded Muchacho, clad in a white T-shirt emblazoned with the Venezuelan flag and appearing before a plain white backdrop.
Maduro has said the assembly is the country's only chance at securing peace and prosperity after four months of unrest and anti-government protests that have left more than 120 people dead.
But while vigorous energy sector sanctions would hit Maduro where he is most vulnerable, they would also further brutalize the Venezuelan population, which has already suffered an astounding fall in its standards of living. The measures include the freeze of any assets that the Venezuelan officials may have in the USA, banning them from entering the country and prohibiting United States citizens from doing business with them. On Wednesday, the US Department of the Treasury declared expansion of sanctions lists, adding eight people to it, including the assembly's member Adan Chavez.
At the same time, Maduro stressed that "Venezuela will never give up" and will fight for its freedom to the last.
"Venezuela can not be sanctioned by anything or anyone".
It is in the midst of a severe economic downturn caused by low oil prices and poor government policies. Almost 130 people have been killed in clashes between protesters and security forces. Met by rubber bullets, water cannon and tear gas fired by the National Guard, the protesters say the crisis demands an early presidential election that they are sure Maduro would lose.
Maduro's popularity has been pounded by triple-digit inflation and acute food and medicine shortages which he blames on right-wing conspirators in league with the U.S. "empire".
The National Assembly is controlled by the opposition, while the constituent assembly was elected July 30 in a process that has been denounced as fraudulent by bishops, much of the global community, and the company in charge of the election's electronic voting system.
"If he (Trump) is so interested in Venezuela, here I am", he said in his three-hour address to the 545 member assembly.
