“Yesterday, I had the great honor of meeting Jose Rafael Cots Malave, whom interim President Guaidó recently nominated as Ambassador to Portugal. I welcomed his dedication to restoring Venezuela’s democracy and his efforts in Portugal to support the democratically-elected National Assembly of Venezuela. We agreed to continue to coordinate diplomatic efforts moving forward. I reiterated my unwavering support for interim President Guaidó as he seeks to restore constitutional order to Venezuela. I hope that all Venezuelans, including the significant Luso-Venezuelan population, can celebrate free and fair elections as soon as possible.
We discussed the desperate humanitarian situation in Venezuela and on its borders, including the Maduro regime’s unconscionable decision to attack civilians and trucks filled with humanitarian assistance last weekend. I noted that the United States will continue to take appropriate action to respond to the situation as it develops, and highlighted that this week we announced an additional $56 million in humanitarian assistance to address this crisis and imposed sanctions on four governors aligned with the illegitimate Maduro regime.”
