Interview with SE. Wilmer Omer Barrientos Ambassador of Venezuela to Egypt                                                                                                                     

It's an honor for us SE. Wilmer,

Thank you for giving us this further interview to help inform our African and foreign readers of what is happening in your country Venezuela. It must be remembered that your country is still under the unjust embargo of the United States, which wants at all costs to impose an anti-nationalist that the people have so much decried.

1- SE. Wilmer, about your country Venezuela, or are we with the peace talks recently initiated by the opposition and the government? Is this a sign of departure for national reconciliation in order to put an end to American interferences in the country?

In a spirit of peace, harmony and understanding, the constitutional government of President Nicolás Maduro Moros continues to favor the search for consensus with all sectors of Venezuelan society, a presidential will that has already produced a first result with the National Dialogue Table, established on September 16, 2019 with a sector of the Venezuelan opposition. President Maduro has also opened the doors to resume "in a consensual way" the Oslo Negotiation Mechanism, sponsored by Norway, as the National Government's priority is to create open and transparent political negotiation spaces, to set a meeting point that allow us the reconciliation and coexistence of all the people of Venezuela, through their own solutions and without intervention or external guardianship, prioritizing several scenarios, all of peace and democracy, framed in respect for sovereignty and the National Constitution.

Fortunately for the tranquility of the people of Venezuela, the parallel government strategy, driven by the Administration of Donald Trump and his allies failed, and today there is only one legitimate, constitutional government, led by President Nicolás Maduro.

2- What does the Venezuelan government intend to do in terms of policies and strategies to put an end to the economic crisis that has been created by this too much Trump embargo?

In his obsession to end the Bolivarian Revolution, Donald Trump has developed an extremist policy against Venezuela intensifying its aggressions that affect the entire Venezuelan population, especially the most disadvantaged. That unconventional war applied to Venezuela punishes millions of innocents, having a devastating effect on the country's social and economic stability. Until 2015, Venezuela had revenues in the order of 50,000 million dollars annually for oil exports. Now it only receives 4,000 million, due to the harmful effects of the coercive measures imposed by the United States. Through its unilateral actions, Washington has improperly appropriated Venezuelan resources abroad. We have been confiscated almost 30,000 million dollars, impacting the capacity of the Venezuelan State to guarantee the proper functioning of its health system and access to basic food for the population. It is an inhuman, perverse economic-financial blockade that violates international law, our laws and the principles and purpose of the Charter of the United Nations.

As can be seen, Venezuela is experiencing a resistance economy, a situation that has led the National Government to have as a first priority the local production of food and medicine, in order to ensure the distribution and supply of food products essential for citizens. In parallel, the Government has defined 16 development engines, on the economic, industrial and technological reality of the country, a plan that had been successfully implemented, since it is in the best interest of the government to transform the oil rentier model installed for 100 years and , in the long term, diversify the Venezuelan economy.

3- SE. Is it possible that cooperation with China and Russia can help neutralize the US long-term embargo in the country?

Venezuela and Russia are strategic partners and have developed a fruitful relationship of friendship and cooperation, as reaffirmed by the recent visit of President Nicolás Maduro to Moscow, on September 25, 2019, and the mutually advantageous results of the High Level Commission Russia-Venezuela (CIAN), held in Caracas on October 5, 2019, in which new investment opportunities in strategic areas such as iron, steel and petrochemicals were evaluated.

On the other hand, Venezuela and China maintain excellent strategic alliances, and, within that framework, they have managed to develop 730 joint projects in different areas of the economy.

With Russia and China we share the same vision of development based on the conception of a multipolar and multicenter world. Both countries have opposed any form of foreign interference in internal affairs and have demanded respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.

Based on that level of excellence of our relationship, from Venezuela, we are working, with Russia, with China, to generate alternative routes, alternative methods, to the traditional financial exchange systems that are under the control of the United States.

4- Without further ado, SE. What do you think of the recent statement by UN chief Antonio Guterres that excludes Venezuelan Guaido from coming to New York for the next annual meeting?

The recognition of President Nicolás Maduro as constitutional and legitimate president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has been confirmed on several occasions by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, since he understands that any contrary measure must be approved by the General Assembly and by the Security Council. The Government of President Maduro works closely with the various instances of the United Nations system, as the exclusive representation of the Venezuelan State is exercised by its legitimate and legally constituted authorities.

5- The Venezuelan government through Attorney General Tarek William Saab decides to open a criminal investigation against Juan Guaido. He is suspected of having links with Los Rastrojos, a Colombian criminal group. What is your opinion on this survey launched?

Let me clarify that, in Venezuela, the Judiciary and the Public Prosecutor or Public Prosecutor's Office (Republican Moral Power), are two independent powers that enjoy full autonomy in their work to guarantee due process and justice. The Executive Power does not interfere with those essential powers for Venezuelan society. Indeed, on September 13, 2019, the attorney general, Tarek William Saab, announced that a criminal investigation had begun against the opposition deputy Juan Guaidó for his alleged connection with the paramilitary group 'Los Rastrojos', after he they spread some photographs where he is portrayed with the leaders of that criminal organization, where the close relationship between the self-proclaimed president and the narco-paramilitary criminal groups is evidenced. It will be up to our justice system to carry out the investigations of the case and act accordingly.

Interview realized by: Alfred Camus Djansan

Founding President, General Manager and Editor-in-ChiefCharilogone Media and Charilogone Magazine