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Videos of the Day: Trump Recognizes Venezuelan Opposition Leader As Nation’s President

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Epoch Newsroom
1/23/2019
Updated:
1/27/2019
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On Wednesday, Jan. 23, President Donald Trump recognized Juan Guaido, the head of Venezuela’s opposition, as the country’s interim president, ratcheting up pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.

In a statement, Trump said he would use “the full weight of United States economic and diplomatic power to press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy” and encouraged other governments in the Western Hemisphere to also recognize Guaido.

Maduro officially broke off diplomatic ties with the United States in reaction to Trump recognizing Venezuelan Juan Guaido as the country’s legitimate interim president.

Following the break of diplomatic ties with the United States, American diplomats in Venezuela were given 72 hours to leave the country.

Maduro has been blamed for problems facing the country including economic turmoil, and food and medicine shortages. Recently Maduro was inaugurated for a second term, the United States decried his reelection as illegitimate.

Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C), speaks to a crowd of supporters flanked by his wife Cilia Flores (2-L), Venezuelan Vice-president Delcy Rodriguez (R) the head of Venezuela's Constituent Assembly Diosdado Cabello, along with other members of the government, to announce his is breaking off diplomatic ties with the United States, during a gathering in Caracas on Jan. 23, 2019. (Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images)
Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro (C), speaks to a crowd of supporters flanked by his wife Cilia Flores (2-L), Venezuelan Vice-president Delcy Rodriguez (R) the head of Venezuela's Constituent Assembly Diosdado Cabello, along with other members of the government, to announce his is breaking off diplomatic ties with the United States, during a gathering in Caracas on Jan. 23, 2019. (Luis Robayo/AFP/Getty Images)
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Trump Sends Letter to Pelosi Saying He'll Deliver State of the Union as Planned

President Donald Trump said in a Jan. 23 letter to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi that he’ll deliver the State of the Union address as agreed upon earlier in the month.

Pelosi tried to block the president from giving the speech, which is an annual tradition for presidents, citing security concerns stemming from the partial government shutdown.

But Trump wrote in a letter that the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service told him there would be no problem regarding security for the event. Both departments also confirmed this after Pelosi’s letter of cancelling the State of the Union speech was made public.

Trump said he looked forward to seeing Pelosi in the Chamber of the House of Representatives on Jan. 29. “It would be so very sad for our Country if the State of the Union were not delivered on time, on schedule, and very importantly, on location!”

Pelosi Tells Trump No State of Union Speech until Shutdown Ends

House Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) talks to journalists following a meeting with President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and fellow members of Congress about border security at the White House in Washington on Jan. 2, 2019. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
House Speaker designate Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) talks to journalists following a meeting with President Donald Trump, Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and fellow members of Congress about border security at the White House in Washington on Jan. 2, 2019. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi responded to Trump’s letter on the same day, telling Trump that he may not deliver a State of the Union speech in the chamber of the House of Representatives until the partial government shutdown has ended.

Pelosi wrote a letter to Trump: “Again, I look forward to welcoming you to the House on a mutually agreeable date for this address when government has been opened.”

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