Chilean President Sebastian Pinera expressed the belief on Wednesday that his Venezuelan counterpart, Nicolas Maduro, would be ousted within days.
“Within days, Maduro’s dictatorship will cease to exist. The people of Venezuela have opened door to freedom and democracy, with courage and happiness. Now they should move toward a free and prosperous country that lives in peace. All the democrats across the world share this happiness,” Pinera posted on Twitter.
Earlier in February, Colombian President Ivan Duque equally voiced the belief that Maduro, with whom he has long been at loggerheads, would soon lose his post.
Tensions in Venezuela escalated when Juan Guaido, the head of the opposition-led parliament, declared himself interim president on January 23, disputing Maduro’s re-election, which took place last year. Guaido’s declaration was almost immediately recognized by the United States and some of its allies. EU states were expected to issue a joint statement recognizing Guaido, but Italy vetoed the motion, according to a Sputnik source.
Russia, China, Mexico, Turkey, Uruguay and several other states have said that they supported Maduro as the legitimate president of Venezuela.