The United States’ Ambassador to Belgium Bill White was a guest in VRT News’ weekday televised topical debate programme ‘De Afspraak’ on Tuesday evening. Ambassador White said that the arrest of Nicolás Maduro is a good thing for Belgium and the rest of the world. He went on to warn that what has happened to Mr Maduro could happen to others and that President Trump wants the people of Venezuela to take power in their country.
US Ambassador Bill White says that Maduro’s arrest is good for Belgium and good for the world
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Last weekend’s US operation in Venezuela and recent comments by President Trump were discussed at length during Tuesday evening’s programme. First, Ambassador White reacted to the arrest and incarceration of the Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. “Maduro is an illegal. He was not elected, and he has been terrible for the Venezuelans”. He added that Nicolás Maduro is a serial drugs smuggler and that he was indited by US prosecutors 15 years ago.
Ambassador White went on to say that President Maduro has had the chance to hand himself over several times but opted not to do so. “He will be given a fair trial in New York. They are innocent until proven guilty”.
When asked if last weekend’s US operation in Venezuala was in breach of international law, the American Ambassador replied that international law is all fine and well except when 300,000 Americans have died because of drugs and more cocaine was confiscated at the port of Antwerp last year than at all the ports in the United States together.
He went onto say that you can disagree with the way in which President Maduro was arrested, but it is a good thing for Belgium and the world that he has been.
Oil
Ambassador White said little about Venezuelan oil and whether this rather than drugs was the main reason for last Saturday’s operation. "President Trump has never mentioned oil”.
However, speaking after the operation the US President referred to Venezuela’s oil industry. ‘The New York Times’ says that he did so no fewer than 20 times during his speech on Saturday.
Iran
Following President Maduro’s arrest, President Trump adopted a threatening tone towards other countries too, for example towards Iran. In recent days there have been street protests in Iran against the theocratic regime there.
Ambassador White says that President Trump wants the Iranian people to take power away from the current regime and expressed support for the protesters, adding that the US President wants peace in Iran.
Belgium’s relationship with the US
Finally, Ambassador White stressed the close relationship between his country and Belgium. "There are Belgian families that come and lay flowers on the graves of American soldiers that died in the Battle of the Bulge”
“We have an unbreakable, spiritual bond with the Belgian people. As long as we continue to remember that the bond between Belgium and the US will always remain”, Mr White concluded.