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Trump urges Venezuelan authorities to restore democracy, end repression

Washington dismissed Sunday’s presidential election in Venezuela as illegitimate
US President Donald Trump EPA-EFE/CHRIS KLEPONIS / POOL
US President Donald Trump
© EPA-EFE/CHRIS KLEPONIS / POOL

WASHINGTON, May 22. /TASS/. US President Donald Trump demanded on Monday that Venezuela’s authorities restore democracy, hold free and fair elections, release all political prisoners and end the repression, the White House said.

"The United States remains committed to the Venezuelan people, who have suffered immensely under the [Venezuelan President Nicolas] Maduro regime. We call for the Maduro regime to restore democracy, hold free and fair elections, release all political prisoners immediately and unconditionally, and end the repression and economic deprivation of the Venezuelan people," Trump said in a statement.

The US leader said he had signed an Executive Order to "prevent the Maduro regime from selling or collateralizing certain Venezuelan financial assets, and to prohibit the regime from earning money from the sale of certain entities of the Venezuelan government." The action is set to "prevent the Maduro regime from conducting "fire sales," liquidating Venezuela’s critical assetsassets the country will need to rebuild its economy."

Nicolas Maduro won a second term as president on Sunday securing over 5.8 million votes. Washington dismissed Sunday’s presidential election in Venezuela as illegitimate. The US demanded that Maduro end the attempts of reshuffling the democratically-elected National Assembly, a unicameral parliament controlled by the opposition.