Thank you for coming. Good morning welcome to the National Press club for todays newsmaker with the ambassador of the republic of venezuela to the United States. In the past president of the National Press club former International Correspondent for the associated press. Ambassador is here today to talk about the latest developments in venezuela in the midst of what is widely acknowledged to be constitutional, political crisis coupled with continuing strong us another International Sanctions under the venezuela population the ambassador was appointed to his post this past january by the leader of the National Assembly in his capacity as president of opposition to president Nicolas Maduro following the disputed election in 2018. Maduro ruled the country since the longtime leader in 2013. And more than 50 countries including the United States have recognized mister t9 the legitimate ruler of venezuela bought while russia and china and their allies continue to recognize president madero. Representatives of opposition to his rule have had several rules of talks and to resolve the crisis and most recently the ambassador can perhaps give his perspective for a successful conclusion to those negotiations. Who formally presented his credentials as ambassador to President Trump at the white house on april 8 earned a lot of grief and received graduate degrees in Georgetown University and Howard UniversityKennedy School as a fulbright scholar. After the ambassador concludes his remarks we will have a questionandanswer session i will try to call on as many persons as possible so please keep your questions brief to identify which media organizations you represent. Thank you and the floor is yours ambassador. [applause] good morning everyone. Thank you very much for being here today into the press club it is an honor to meet here and then have the q a session with all of you like to give you some details i was born in venezuela but far away from the capital eight hours driving from the capital in the small village and i had the opportunity and then i went to caracas because in my town we didnt have university. And then with the Venezuela International community and the regime decided to issue an order only for defending those venezuela rights and after that i spent more than 100 days in hiding trying to capture me trying to resist but they did not capture me at that time and then i receive many threats against me and my family and my wife is pregnant at that moment they were harassing my wife and my family and then i decided to leave my country the most difficult decision i have ever made in my life to then be exiled and working internationally what is happening with venezuela while we were representing the future. And my son was my exile. To be honest i am not totally free and in my view we deserve content democracy and freedom and fighting for universal principles and values. So i want to thank all of you because we dont have freedom of press and they know mainly because of you because now we talk about the people in the way you have been put on the headlines so having said that i would like to highlight the context of the missile in crisis but i would like to highlight those points and after that i would like to give a number of you with the q a session. We are facing the worst crisis in history. And then close to 60 percent but a great impression on those predictions for what was 10 million percent. So people are dying because of lack of food and medicine so we can say that is a reality the most difficult thing with your crisis the millions in venezuela forced by me so far and then echoes up to five. 5 million in the next year close to 8 million. So the refugee crisis in this continent is a simple enough for the refugee crisis we need to stop this. Thats enough. The people of venezuela are no more divided. So with this situation in my second point just keep this in mind the only way to solve the venezuela in crisis to put an end of that dictatorship and to restore democracy in our country and that is why but we have been fighting for in the country as the incoming president guaido follow a constitutional and to be very clear maduro had of a collection declared from the National Assembly so there was a vacancy in the presidency of venezuela and according to the constitution has the obligation to assume that in other words guaido had no other choice he automatically becomes the president of venezuela thats why were calling illegitimacy as theres only one legitimate president in venezuela and that is guaido. President of the National Assembly or speaker of the house so its not fair to say selfproclaimed as president of venezuela. No. According to article 333 of our constitution and this has three main points to end the dictatorship and venezuela to have that positional government in venezuela then call for a free and Fair Election and with the agenda and by our leaders and why we have been active to back the agenda set by the venezuelans and having said that its important to mention that this is the third point we are facing a brutal and criminal dictatorship. Met in our review has been riddled with drug traffic or those illegal transactions and human rights abuses and there is no doubt that sponsors terrorism and it was said that the top leaders are in venezuela and also in columbia at the beginning of this year in columbia and doing illegal activities outside of venezuela with the illegal goal transactions. So as you can see this regime does effect venezuela and neighboring countries but the region. It is affecting the security of the region. If we do not stop this we can be facing a difficult situation in the near term and it will affect no one but also the United States. That is why this crisis has become complex but its important to mention that the support of cuba and russia has added the additional element to this crisis and how to repress the society in venezuela given support to the maduro regime and we have analysis to many of this aspect and it is the Higher Commission of human rights from the un of course to say that the maduro regime is a mafia. And then over society that report that has been violated by madero. Think it by any right that has been violated by this regime. In these reports say clearly they have killed people close to 7000 people and put people in jail and have tortured people and play with the full distribution of the new slavery of the 21st century. Coming from the independent constitution that is recognized worldwide and 55 nations have recognized guaido as the president of venezuela. I think i have not seen this according to those circumstances with a different term in a different situation but this is is an Important International issue i have not seen that. The most important democratic countries support the movement in venezuela. And then we have to reserve that coalition so we need to keep that how important is that and one that i like to highlight the us is one the most important allies with us. And working with allies to increase the pressure against the maduro regime. And on that bipartisan effort to show the change of venezuela all of the institutions the United States is supporting the country and that is sending a clean mess on a clear message the most important inside the inner circle of maduro and the armed forces so altogether just working with the International Community and the role of the mission one is how to increase interNational Pressure with the International Community and second and even those that are outside of venezuela and with the assets we now control most important asset outside of venezuela is located here we have protected those for the future of venezuela and then for those who are in the us working with the administration on the passports of the venezuela and then how to alleviate to avoid any deportation of venezuelans. And that point is where we are. So think about december 2018 where were we cracks in 2018 we didnt have any strategy or any clear unification of those Democratic Forces and now six months later think of where we are right now. To have the clear forces and now guaido and i will tell you more most popular president in venezuela in 20 years appearing on national television. So we have a unity government under the leadership of guaido in this for me is the most important that is why i am confident that the people of venezuela is looking for a change. So 80 percent of the people are looking for a change we have the support of the people we have the leadership of the people and guaido and the support of the International Committee and now the assets of venezuela. So now and to conclude to restore democracy in venezuela. And now we see the other side the future of how to survive in power he is in governings venezuela anymore. But to follow the path they know that. Thats why i am fully confident you have a huge opportunity with that change. And then to take advantage of it. With that determination on the streets to use the National Assembly internally and also increasing the pressure for the International Community so what im telling you because i can tell you from firsthand but also inside of the regime to tell you something is going on inside of the regime. They were negotiating many of them are still inside the regime we know its not going anywhere but something has to be done to resolve the venezuela crisis so as you can see and the leadership of the National Assembly and the pressure from the International Community this is not a single event and the ongoing process that we are now and better position and we will continue to do so and restore democracy to resolve the venezuela crisis. Thank you very much feel free to answer any question that you may have an open for a q a session thank you very much. Just to reaffirm the longstanding guide rules which is that questions are only acknowledged so announce the organization when youre asked a question but first i will take a few questions that i have already received in the first is the Washington Post that covers venezuela and the surrounding region into strike that deal is of the opposition is truly united behind the common position in those do not recognize the legitimacy of any deal could be implemented without the full backing of the opposition. So what i can say is the following. But the regime and that is one point. Second it is a mechanism and it is the final objective that is to achieve the objective. And that is having a Fair Election in our country and the regime has not presented any solution so far and i dont want to go into details because i dont want to upset those conversations what i can tell you is we are presented that solution on the table and we like to see the position in our country and that guaido is using any mechanism because at the end of the day that is the Main Objective how we stop the suffering of the venezuelans. And they are willing to move in that direction is very complicated so the only obstacle for peace is maduro. He is not given a solution to the crisis and then created by maduro. So continue to do all that pressure i hope we can achieve it. Of course when you put this into the context to manipulate this mechanism in the past try to divide International Communities and to be aware of that but the European Union has stated even more sanctions because that will extend the manipulation. Have more questions but i would like to open the floor please ask a brief is a sink question. You just mentioned the members so please let us know when it will take place and where will take place. And the details would be announced by the delegation. To ask two questions i am wondering if you support any military intervention by the International Community in venezuela and do you use support temporary protected status in the us quick. He wants to find a solution he is not presenting a solution so linked to terrorist groups and Drug Trafficking and then to take that into account with the security of the region to protect the people venezuela with the approach of the main allies but again, the First Priority is how we put effort and to take into account to be ready for any potential and then we would fully support all initiative to help people of venezuela to stay here legally to avoid any deportation so we are working with congress and trumpet administration in that matter. What are guaido plans ptolemy inflation in venezuela quick. Thank you for asking. So how we can put an end we cannot recover our country. We have been working on a plan and with my own Political Forces with a general plan to get control of the government. And get to the point that you just mentioned in the most important one that we need to bring political stability to set clear democratic system in venezuela and we believe in the separation of power the police and political pluralism and to bring that into venezuela. And then to recover otherwise its more difficult to do that so this is the direction from the political point of view and with those controls this is a critical element when we get International Funding of groups or medicines or equipment to support our economy. So to have that open economy with Property Rights in the International Community to increase our work and to have opportunity to control inflation in venezuela. First it is the main element with Oil Production and revenues and that is the recovery of our economy with a just proposal of inflation and from that point from the social point of view to take into account 94 percent we have been thinking while we trade those Economic Opportunities so then they can take advantage of that situation but the massive humanitarian aid and of venezuela at the same time and that that has been destroyed been working the emergency plan with the government those that are not in the general plan. I am moving to the back of the room. What can congress do to help efforts what can we do to help you in your efforts quick. They are supporting us in with that bipartisan effort that states the support for venezuelans and also all of those sanctions to be implemented in all of those elements and to start working with the new organization and how we can rebuild together but in the long run to have the support of the International Community and how we rebuild venezuela with that crisis we are responsible that congress would play in any venezuela from deportation m. The presiding officer the senator from kentucky. Mr. Paul thank you hear it . Can you hear the somber notes, the feet shuffling, the solemn tones . Can you hear it . Its a durge, a funeral march, the death of a moment. A onceproud movement with hundreds of thousands of people gathered on the national mall. Its the death, its the last gasp of a movement in america that was concerned with our national debt. Today is the final nail in the coffin. The tea party is no more. The budget deal today allows unlimited borrowing for nearly two years, unlimited. No limits. The government will borrow what they wish without limit for two years. It abolishes all