Briefing with Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams
Transcript
[Announcer] Good morning everyone. Thanks for coming. We are lucky to have with us today, our special representative for Venezuela, Elliott Abrams. Mr. Abrams will make some opening remarks then be happy to take some questions. Please.
Thank you, good morning. The number of comments to make about the situation. First, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet visited Caracas last week. There were over 715 political prisoners and military prisoners being held arbitrarily in Venezuela, and we are hoping that the High Commissioner’s representatives, who are currently in Venezuela, who stayed there when she left, will visit the country’s most notorious prisons and visit political prisoners. And we hope that her report, which is due out July 5, will reveal the brutal truths that victims of the regime suffer everyday. We hope that the report will call as so many democracies around the world have for free elections. As a central part of the solution to Venezuela’s crisis. A word on the humanitarian situation. Instead of caring for or worrying about the millions of poor, sick, or hungry citizens, the Maduro Regime is spending millions of dollars on military purchases. We learned recently of a $38 million purchase of military uniforms in May. Venezuela signed a $209 million air defense contract with Russia to repair an air defense system, to buy 9 sukhoi fighter jets, and to buy 8 transport helicopters. The Regime also continues giving foreign aid to Cuba, providing oil without payment in exchange. Unless the payment is repressive intelligence apparatus, manned by about 25 hundred Cuban agents that Cuba maintains in Venezuela to help keep the Regime remain in power. Yesterday, Russian military aircraft arrived in Caracas which the Russians say was carrying additional technicians to service previously sold arms systems. What we do know for sure, is that it carried no humanitarian aid, and right now, the US and its Comfort hospital ship is heading into the Caribbean and South America and will dock at a number of ports to bring medical care to Venezuela refugees and local residents while Russia is sending its warship the Gorshkov and more military technicians to Venezuela. Inside Venezuela the Maduro Regime continues to undermine democratic institutions to carry out human rights abuses and to engage in rampant and extremely widespread corruption. The Maduro Regime continues to drive the economy into the ground. Even Russian and Chinese officials have expressed frustration with Maduro’s poor decisions. It’s very clear that Maduro is not capable of solving Venezuela’s many crises. The last remaining democratic institution in Venezuela is the National Assembly, but now, 20 National Assembly Deputies have been stripped of their immunity, more than a dozen of them forced into exile, 2 of them are arbitrarily detained. The Regime is methodically working to destroy Venezuela’s democratically elected parliament. So we ask the nation’s of the LiMa Group, the international contact group from members of the European Union, and indeed all democracies to stand behind the National Assembly and denounce the Regime’s systematic persecution. This is one of the reasons why the notion that Maduro might remain president presiding over free elections and a transition to democracy is laughable. These attacks on the only remaining democratic institution in Venezuela are yet another proof that the Maduro Regime cannot be trusted to organize free and fair elections. Interim President Juan Guaido continues to travel throughout the country, distributing humanitarian assistance, organizing health clinics, and spreading an important message that he seeks a peaceful democratic transition. Maduro’s security forces oppress Venezuelans who demand a better future and a censor communications involving Guaido. But they’ve been unable to suppress the rallies when Interim President Guaido travels throughout the country. Those rallies have been large and impressive. Including, very recently, for example, cities like Barinas, Hugo Chavez’s birth place. Cities that were once Chavez’s strongholds. We support Interim President Guaido’s efforts. The barrier to a peaceful resolution remains Maduro’s refusal to step aside. Thank you.
[announcer] Writers, Leslie
[Leslie] Hello Mr. Abrams, I wonder if you can comment on the report today in the Washington Post. It was actually yesterday, I think. Regarding the fact that the general figure Christopher Figuero has landed in the US. What exactly are you planning to do with him, ask him, what’re you hoping to get from him in your campaign against Venezuela’s Maduro?
Well he’s not under detention.
[Leslie] No, I know, but–
He’s in the US and, you know, he’s a free man. I would like to talk to him myself. I assume other US officials would like to, because he quite obviously, as we can see from his position and we can see from the Post interview. Has a lot of interesting things to say about the Maduro Regime and about life in Venezuela.
[announcer] This is BBC, Barbara.
[Barbara] This is obviously a very sophisticated coupe plot which didn’t end up ousting Maduro. Do you think that it is over, or do you see lying low for a while? I mean, he didn’t purge anyone either. Not essentially. But it seems difficult to me imagine something like this to be organized again in the near future.
You know, this is June 25th, June 24th is the commemoration every year of the Battle of Carabobo. Which was, perhaps, the greatest victory of Simone Bolivar over royalist forces, beginning independence for Venezuela. And every year there is a big military parade, as you’d expect on army date, but not yesterday. Why not? Our conclusion is that Maduro was actually afraid to permit a military parade because he has so little faith in the loyalty of the Venezuelan military to him and his regime. So, you know, we can’t predict the future. I can only say that, it seems if you ask Maduro, his fears of another coupe are not over.
[Barbara] Just a follow up if I may, and that’s about the attempts to have a new Oslo Process, these talks. I know that you’re very skeptical about the talks, you imply that in your comments. But if this is going to drag on for a long time, which is also an option, not just the scenario you suggested. It’s quite cruel what’s happening to the people, whoever is responsible. Do you see any role for talks or diplomacy involving Maduro and the opposition because they seem too? Some members of the opposition seem too.
Sure, I’m not skeptical about the talks, I’m skeptical about the Regime. That is, there have been previous rounds of negotiations, and the Maduro Regime has used them for delay, just to gain time, and also to try to divide the opposition. We are seeking, as Juan Guaido is, a peaceful resolution. And a negotiated solution would, in many ways, be the best solution. So we’re not skeptical about the talks or about the Norwegian effort. We’re just skeptical about whether the Regime is serious about them. I mean, as an example, if they were serious, would they not stop arresting opposition deputies and driving them into embassies and into exile? If what you’re doing is arresting the people on the other side of the table, how serious are you about talks? So we hope that they succeed. I met last week with the negotiating team for President Guaido in an effort to compare notes and be sure that we could answer any questions they had. So we’re hopeful that the talks will produce something. But again, there’s no evidence yet that the Regime is serious about them. On the humanitarian side, you know, the Regime has sold tons of gold. Tons of gold. You’ve seen press reports. Where’s the money? Why isn’t it being spent on the people of Venezuela? How is it possible for a country in this economic situation to be giving millions of barrels of free oil to Cuba instead of trying to sell it and give the proceeds to people of Venezuela? I don’t think that there’s any question as to who’s responsible for the humanitarian situation today anymore than there was in January or in December. It’s the Regime through corruption and incompetence. We’ve, as you know, tried to get humanitarian aide in. The one rule we’ve had is that the aid has to go to people who need it. Meaning it can’t be distributed by or given to the Regime, because as we know very well, that the Regime will use it for political purposes. So the church, the Red Cross, Caritas, any NGOs that are reliable would be fine ways to distribute aid. The barrier to having more humanitarian aid, is the Regime’s refusal to accept it and the Regime’s wasted resources that could be dedicated to getting these kinds of goods to the people of Venezuela.
[announcer] NC Spain, David.
[David] I wanted to ask you, talking about the humanitarian aid, is it any point of concern the corruption allegations of them as use of humanitarian aid being (mumbles) by two people associated with the opposition? Is it any point of concern? Do you think President Guaido acted as he should’ve acted in this problem?
Think President Guaido did exactly what he should’ve done, what any government would’ve done. You immediately call for an investigation. The investigation going to have to be done by Columbian officials because these events took place in Columbia, not in Venezuela.
[announcer] CNN, Violet.
[Violet] One thing that the administration has maintained is that the military option for backing the ouster of Maduro has been on the table for months. Is that still the case today?
Yes.
[Violet] Okay, and expanding a little bit off of the ex-spy chief who is here in town, you seem a little bit surprised that he’s here. So can you clarify if there’s been any–
He’s not here. If you mean Washington.
[Violet] Sorry, sorry, in the US.
At least to my knowledge he’s not here.
[Violet] So he’s just in the US?
Yeah
[Violet] Did the US government support him coming here at all?
We did not bring him to the United States. But I’d say we’re happy he’s here, it makes it easier to have more conversations with him. Which, as I said, I plan to do and a few others would like to do also.
[Announcer] (mumbles)
[Matt] Hi, this is Matt Neta from CRT World. The article that appeared on Washington Post, as my colleague mentioned, there’s a claim in there says over a $100 million have been requested to flip important figures in the Maduro government, including the Chief Justice. Has any US taxpayer dollars been used in this way?
No, none, never.
[Matt] ‘Kay.
[Announcer] Back row, please your outlet.
[woman] Thank you (mumbles) from Columbia. So how hopeful are you that the presence of General Figuero’s here in the US will help to persuade other generals in Venezuela to support the Interim President Juan Guaido?
Well, I’m hopeful in two ways. First, General Figuero left. What happened to him? He’s here in the US. As I said, he’s not under any kind of constraints. He can go wherever he wants. He is out from under sanctions, you remember that when he left, we took the sanctions off, when he left the Regime. So that’s a sign to other officials as to what their future might be if they do the same thing. Secondly, he has a lot to say. I would assume that the Post interview is not the last he’ll do. And he will be saying things about the Regime that may come as news to members of the military or others in the Regime and that may help change their opinions about the Regime and about why it does not deserve their support.
[Announcer] NBC, Addie.
[Addie] Thank you. Hi, thanks for doing this. I wanted to follow up on the earlier question and ask what is the latest on US efforts to get humanitarian aid inside of Venezuela? Are there still boxes of aid in Cucata in warehouses? What is the current state of affairs on that?
Some of the, it’ a mix. The perishable items that were in Cucata and elsewhere, there were some (mumbles) for example, have had to be distributed. And they are distributed to a combination of Venezuelan refugees and local citizens. The nonperishable items can be warehoused and there are still lots of items in Cucata. We’ve been able to move some things into Venezuela. Some of the medical kits were moved out of Columbia to other places and then there was some arrangements to get them into Venezuela. It’s hard to do. Again, because we won’t countenance turning it over to the Regime because we know how they will be abused. We have a lot of information, for example, about the CLAB program which is theoretically helping the poorest Venezuelans, but we know its been subject of immense amounts of corruption. Treasuries Finsent put out a report about three weeks ago about corruption in CLAB program. So it’s a mix. Some is still in where it stays, some has been distributed, some, I’d say small amounts, we’ve been able to get into Venezuela.
[Addie] One other if I could.
[Announcer] Sure.
[Addie] Given the numbers of people we see fleeing and the comparisons now to Syria, being one of the larger humanitarian crises we’ve seen in a long time, is the US considering taking in more Venezuelan refugees during this next year?
Well we don’t, in a sense, take in. I mean, people come here or they don’t come here. And there will unquestionably be more Venezuelans coming to the United States because there will be more Venezuelans going everywhere. We’ve seen the, I think it’s the UN estimate, we’re now up to about 4 million and others would say higher. And it’s going to, you know, at a certain point, it’ll hit 5 million. The numbers in the US are small compared to the numbers, in say, Columbia or Peru, and they grow faster, needless to say, in the countries that are nearer to Venezuela.
[Addie] Would the government support temporary protected status for Venezuelan–
Well the President made a comment about that, about a week ago. I’ve said before that’s under consideration, there’s actually still not been a decision on that. There are, I don’t want to say, there are no deportations of Venezuelans except under circumstances in which we’re talking about people who’ve been convicted of crimes, but I can’t recall the deportation of a Venezuelan. And that’s partly because it’s almost impossible to get the documents that you need from Venezuela because of the Regime. And there are no direct flights between the United States and Venezuela. So, again, I don’t want to say deportations have stopped, but the numbers are extremely low, if there are any.
[Announcer] Last question, BBC Barbara.
[Barbara] Has the President lost interest in this? (laughs uncomfortably)
No, I don’t know where, well I mean, nobody was quoted in that article. I don’t know where that comes from. I can tell you that, the day the article, I think I’m right in saying it was actually the day the article appeared, the President met with the Prime Minister Trudeau and raised with him Venezuela. And they had a good discussion of Venezuela which is not a sign of un-interest. And the same day that the President was meeting with Prime Minister Trudeau, the Vice President was in Miami to see off the USNS Comfort. So the notion that there is, at the highest levels of government, a de munition of interest is just simply false.
[Announcer] All right, last one. Let’s go for Leslie.
[Leslie] Thank you. Just to follow up on that, The efforts to grow the campaign and the allies that side with you seems to have stalled from where we are sitting on this side. Is there any kind of consideration to try to change your strategy? Maybe include the Maduro in some kind of unity government? You know, any kind of strategy to make this work?
Well that, I think that the number 54 will grow soon.
[Leslie] Is there something you want to tell us?
No, you know, governments cannot oust for themselves when they want to recognize Guaido. It’s not for us to make that announcement, but I think that there will be a change in that number. Given the record that Maduro has built for himself of repression, given the stealing of the election in May 2018, it’s hard to see how he is part of the solution or could be part of a transition government. We’ve talked to the members of the contact group and the LiMa Group. We talked to the Norwegians. We talk with, or course, lot’s of Venezuelans, including travistas about options for change in Venezuela. And there is no iron formula that the United States has set out that, you know, must be met or change will not be possible. But the notion of Maduro being a contributor to a democratic transition is, I think, very hard to figure out. I would urge you to take a look at interview today in Madrid, published today, with Philipe Gonzalez, who talks about the transition and the need for Maduro not to be part of the transition.
[Barbara] Is that the view also about all these people you speak to, the LiMa Group, the contact group, the Venezuelan travistas, that there’s no role at all for Maduro?
Well there is a very important role for Maduro which is to push his country ahead of his own personal interests. And that is, in fact, an important role and it is for any leaders of regimes that have built a similar track record. But, again, the United States is not trying to persecute Nicholas Maduro. What we’re trying to do is send the message. That the contribution he has to make to Venezuela now, which is an important contribution, is to let the country move forward. To step aside and let the country return to democracy, and begin to rebuild it’s economy.
[Announcer] Great, all right, thank you very much.
Thank you.
Thanks.