Pompeo Promises Aid to Venezuela as He Blasts ‘Defunct’ Regime

(Bloomberg) -- U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo urged fellow members of the Organization of American States to “live up to our calling” to defend democracy in Venezuela and reject the “now-defunct Maduro regime.”

Pompeo delivered the call to support Juan Guaido, the opposition leader the U.S. has recognized as the country’s interim president, in a visit to an OAS meeting in Washington on Thursday.

Pompeo announced the U.S. is prepared to give $20 million in humanitarian relief to Venezuelans “as soon as logistically possible.”

The move appeared to be a message to Venezuelans that they could expect more from the U.S. if they shift their support from Nicolas Maduro to Guaido, who declared himself interim president on Wednesday. President Donald Trump promptly announced U.S. backing for Guaido.

The aid announcement, while modest, signaled that the U.S. may hold off on further sanctions against Venezuela, at least for the moment, because that conflicts with the message that Guaido is now its leader.

But National Security Adviser John Bolton, asked about Trump’s remark that all options remain on the table on Venezuela, told reporters Thursday, “I think that speaks for itself.”

Vice President Mike Pence, who has taken a leading role in U.S. policy toward Venezuela, spoke with Guaido in the past few days, before he announced his claim to the presidency, according to a White House official.

In his call for support from the OAS, Pompeo said “each of us must live up to our calling to promote and defend democracy.” He called out another U.S. foe, Cuba, saying it bore some responsibility for rights abuses carried out by Maduro’s leftist regime.

“They schooled Venezuela’s secret police in the dark arts of torture, repression and citizen control,” Pompeo said. “Maduro was a fine student at the Cuban academy of oppression.”

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