Image source, Getty Images
Venezuelan Attorney General Tarek William Saab confirmed on Monday that he supports Nicolas Maduro to defend Venezuela “with weapons” and dialogue with the United States.
“I absolutely support President Nicolas Maduro,” Saab said in an interview with the program. “First, for the comprehensive defense of our nation through weapons.” News night From BBC.
He added, “Secondly, it is clear to open a direct and personal dialogue between the United States government and the Bolivarian government in Venezuela.”
Since early September, the United States has had a massive military presence off the coast of Venezuela, including more than 14 warships and the largest and most advanced aircraft carrier in the world.
Washington asserts that its goal is to stop drug smuggling into the United States, but Caracas and many observers believe that the intention is to force a change of government in Venezuela.
More than 80 people have been killed in a series of US attacks on suspected “drug boats” in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
In an interview with the program News nightSaab also described accusations of rigging the presidential elections in July last year, in which the National Electoral Council, controlled by the ruling party, declared as a “disgraceful excuse” the victory of Nicolas Maduro without providing any evidence or classified data, as was the custom until then.
Likewise, Venezuela’s attorney general called challenger Edmundo Gonzalez, who faced Maduro in the election, a “poster candidate.”
He continued: “One of the fugitives from justice (Maria Corina Machado) showed a poster of an octogenarian man and did not conduct any campaign.”
“On the other hand, Nicolas Maduro toured the entire country three times and won the elections,” he added.
Image source, Getty Images
Although Machado, who recently received the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, was the winner of internal elections organized by the Venezuelan opposition, she was banned from running for elected office for 15 years for her alleged involvement in corruption.
Edmundo González Urrutia – a diplomat who was 74 years old at the time – emerged as an option to make a deal with her and together they toured the country searching for votes.
The Saab Public Prosecutor’s Office accuses Gonzalez of “terrorism” crimes and Machado of “betrayal of the country.”
“Watch the joy in the streets”
Saab, who has been in office for eight years, has been a figurehead of Chavismo for years, when he became known as a poet and human rights defender before Hugo Chavez came to power.
Specifically, he is now the face of Maduro’s government against serious accusations of human rights violations, including torture and disappearances, and from recent complaints of arbitrary arrests after the July 28 elections.
When asked about allegations of human rights violations against Maduro’s government, Saab said it was a “completely disreputable narrative and rhetoric alien to Venezuelan reality.”
He emphasized: “I invite the person who interviewed me to come to Venezuela, walk in the streets of Caracas, go around all the states of the country (…) and see the joy that exists in the streets of people who are happy to live in a nation that is truly blessed by the hand of God.”
“I think it’s a lot of envy because Venezuela has the largest oil reserves on the planet.”
The Trump administration accused Maduro of running a drug cartel that flooded the United States with drugs.
After several days out of the public eye, Maduro resurfaced this week, dancing in front of a crowd of supporters in Caracas at an outdoor rally.
He denied reports that he responded to American calls to leave the country.
But the country is awaiting the next steps of President Trump, who confirmed a few days ago that attacks against drug cartel targets on the ground would begin “very soon.”
Subscribe here Join our new newsletter to receive a selection of our best content of the week every Friday.
And remember, you can receive notifications in our app. Download the latest version and activate it.