Credit: By Gary Raynaldo  / ©Diplomatic Times /  H.E.  Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, at press briefing at UN world headquarters New York City Sep. 27, 2019.  Rodríguez briefed reporters after her speaking  before the General Assembly, displaying a photograph of“Interim President” Juan Guaido reportedly aided by members of a Colombia paramilitary gang  in crossing the border in February.

By Gary Raynaldo   /  DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

UNITED NATIONS  –  NEW YORK –  The Vice President of Venezuela Delcy Rodriguez Gomez Friday denounced opposition leader Juan Guaidó  self-declaration as interim president this past January a “coup d’état”.  Venezuela’s VP  spoke before the the annual UN General Assembly and sharply criticized the U.S. and more than 50 countries  that have recognized National Assembly president Guaidó as leader of the Latin American nation.  

“This Member of Congress (Juan Guaidó)  is an imperial puppet. He does not exist in Venezuelan politics. He is a criminal element who has been introduced to breach the peace in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.  This self-proclamation was followed by recognition by a majority of governments of this unequal world; perhaps one of the worst mistakes in the diplomatic history of these countries.”

-Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, speaking at UN General Assembly Sept. 27, 2019  New York.

Photo credit: / UN Photo / Cia Pak /  Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela addressed the 74th Session of the UN General Assembly Sept. 27, 2019.

VP Rodriguez also spoke out against what she called ‘economic terrorism’.  She said this so-called form of terrorism does not  involve weapons but “the dominance of the dollar.”

“Between 2015 and 2018, the total losses for the Venezuelan economy reached $130 billion because of the brutal blockade imposed by the United States, which is a shameless robbery of all our resources,” Rodriguez told the  UNGA. She added that the US has also “flexed its imperialist claws” against “kindred” revolutions in Cuba and Nicaragua.

Venezuela VP  Calls  Colombian President’s Claim Maduro Harboring  Narcoterrorists  “Lies”

Credit:  Gary Raynaldo /  Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, with (left)Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza, and (right) Venezuela’s ambassador to the UN Samuel Moncada, at press briefing at UN world headquarters New York City Sep. 27, 2019. 

Meanwhile,  Colombia President Iván Duque Márquez  accused Venezuela of harboring Colombian “narcoterrorists” at the UN GA  on Wednesday. Photos were  presented to the UN as “proof” Venezuela is “harboring terrorists” The Colombian president said that he would surrender “reliable and compelling” evidence of Maduro’s alleged ties to ELN guerrillas and drug trafficking organizations.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES Video /  Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, at press briefing at UN world headquarters New York City Sep. 27, 2019. 

The VP Says there is no evidence the ELN is in Venezuela training terrorists.

“These photographs belong  to Colombia. These  denunciations were made at the time of (Hugo) Chavez. We have demanded them to give us precisions, but they don’t give us further information because they are lies. We have the evidence of how in Colombia they are training, they are financing and they are arming an aggression against our homeland,”  Rodriguez said.

DIPLOMATIC TIMES Video /  Delcy Rodríguez, Vice President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, at press briefing at UN world headquarters New York City Sep. 27, 2019.

Credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times /   Venezuela  VP  Rodríguez,  and Ambassador Moncado  at press briefing at UN world headquarters New York City Sep. 27, 2019.

Venezuela  VP  Rodríguez displayed a photograph to journalists of  opposition leader Juan Guaidó with Colombian paramilitary leaders.   Guaidó, “the Venezuelan politician fighting to topple Nicolás Maduro, is facing awkward questions about his relationship with organised crime after the publication of compromising photographs showing him with two Colombian paramilitaries,” the  UK Guardian reported last week.    

“And this puppet (Juan Guaidó), from the US to undermine and topple the government presided over by Maduro, …well, this person is in clear connection with these paramilitary bands, and he is also connected to Mr. Dugue (Colombia President Iván Duque Márquez ). So you cannot come here to  the UN and lie, that’s why we came here to present this evidence.”

-Venezuela  VP  Rodríguez.

Credit: Gary Raynaldo / ©Diplomatic Times /   Venezuela  VP  Rodríguez

VP  Rodríguez Denounces  Reports Some 4 Million Venezuelans Have Fled Venezuela Due to Dire economic problems

“That is a lie! The Venezuela migration is an economic migration forced by illicit sanctions, not by a war. It is not this figure (4 Million) .  Colombia, that can not even take care of its population, because poverty is very tangible… just imagine that Colombia had  to  receive 1 million Venezuelans, it would collapse.  This year we have more students in our school  system, and this happens every single year. Our power consumption has increased, our fuel consumption has  increased. How can this happen  if 4 million Venezuelans have left the country. I mean, our we ghosts living in Venezuela? We have real people living in Venezuela. We are still in Venezuela.”