Venezuelan interim government Guaidó spent US$150 million of public money

the leader Venezuelan Juan Guaido said this Thursday that his symbolic “interim government” Eliminated by decision of the opposition itself, in four years he managed a budget of some 150 million dollars of public money, blocked by international sanctions and placed in his hands.

“All that was used in public funds more or less is the budget of a municipality in the capital in one year”justified Guaidó in an act of accountability after the suppression of his “interim presidency” which received wide international support.

Guaidó said that the money used was approved by the National Assembly elected in 2015 and whose continuity he defends by ignoring the 2020 elections in which Chavismo regained control of the Legislative Power.

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That forum, which is backed by the United States as the “last democratically elected institution” in Venezuela, he extended his term by a year in January but eliminated the “interim government” of Guaidó, proclaimed in 2019.

“It did not reach 150 million and one could say: is it a lot, is it little? How much is this? To defend democracy, to defeat a dictatorship.” he pointed.

“Starting in 2020, a fighting tool was being able to use public funds to alleviate the crisis.” “In 2020, 70% of the budget was used for the ‘Heroes de la Salud’ program”which granted a bonus to workers in the sector in the midst of the pandemic. “Then in 2021 almost 50% was also allocated to social assistance.”

President Nicolas Maduro considered his statement ashame” and criticized the spending of public money.

“Now, Guaidó says that he only spent 150 million dollars (…) He seems to be asking for applause for his feat,” The president ironized when making a brief allusion to accountability during a meeting with the Federal Council of Government.

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Guaidó said that these funds were audited by a private company, which he kept confidential and which issued a report that was delivered to the United States authorities, which grant the licenses to access the resources.

The parallel Central Bank created to oversee these funds reported disbursements “within the framework of the Special Law of the Fund for the Liberation of Venezuela” of 198.2 million.

“I can adjust right now with what was the last part of 2022, we have to finish updating”, the leader clarified to journalists after his presentation, which he did in the dark after a power outage in the auditorium for unknown reasons.

The Maduro government accused Guaidó and his allies of corruption in the management of the resources placed at their service after a battery of sanctions that unsuccessfully sought to pressure the fall of the Chavista president.

Source: AFP