Interim President Guaido meets Georgian Ambassador
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Wednesday, February 27
Interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaido, who is seeking to overthrow the dictatorial regime of Nicolas Maduro, has thanked the Georgian government for its support to his political intentions and the fight of the Venezuelan people for freedom and democracy.
Guaido made the statement during his meeting with Georgian Ambassador to Brazil David Solomonia, on the sidelines of the 11th foreign ministerial of the Lima Group composed of 14 countries in Bogota on Tuesday, assembled to find solutions for the political and economic crisis in Venezuela.
“Guaido stated during the meeting with the Georgian ambassador that the existing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela will be ended soon with the support of the international community, “the Georgian Foreign Ministry reports.
Once elected, the interim government of Venezuela has announced to revoke its recognition of the two Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali (South Ossetia) as independent republics.
Only Russia, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Nauru and Syria have recognized the regions as independent states since the Russia-Georgia war in 2008.
The rest of the international community says that the regions are occupied by Russia.
Initially, Gustavo Tarre, a diplomat named by Venezuela's National Assembly on 22 January 2019 as a Special Representative to the Organization of American States (OAS), stated about the intention.
Tarre was asked a question by a Georgian journalist whether Venezuela will cancel the recognition of Georgia’s occupied regions.
“Of course we will. We do not plan to continue the policies of Maduro's administration. We are not afraid of Russia,” he said.
Former Ambassador of the United States to Venezuela, William Brownfield, also spoke about Venezuela's withdrawal of the recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
The American diplomat said that Georgia has the right not to only advise but to request from Venezuela to revoke its recognition of Georgian occupied regions.
Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze tweeted that Georgia recognizes Juan Guaido as Interim President of Venezuela.
Venezuela is amid mass protests against President Nicolas Maduro, who people blame for sharp economic downfall and corruption in the country.
Georgia also shared the position of the international community on 10 January and said that the country does not recognize the legitimacy of Maduro's government.
Maduro’s re-election in May 2018 was widely criticized by foreign nations and organizations, with numerous reports and statements regarding coercion, electoral rigging and fraud.
