Politician

I personally don't believe that Russia and China are on Maduro's side - they are simply protecting their investments here in Venezuela.

To achieve a successful transition, we don't just have to remove Maduro. We also have to rescue our institutions themselves. That's why we have set out three phases: ending Maduro's usurpation of power, implementing a transition government, and holding free elections.

No one is willing to sacrifice themselves for Maduro or take up arms to fight for him.

In Venezuela, we have movement for freedom, for democracy, that has taken years and sacrifice to build, and a majority through protests to win elections to align ourselves with the world that recognizes the fight for democracy in Venezuela.

I would like to be clear about the situation in Venezuela: Mr. Maduro's re-election on May 20, 2018, was illegitimate, as has since been acknowledged by a large part of the international community.

The very act of protest is dangerous in Venezuela.

We will fight back until we have democracy.

We know that Maduro's armies are riddled with persecution, torture, threats, and wrongful arrests.

Maduro has placed himself above the Constitution, but only the Venezuelan people can be above it.

All those who talk about democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, of human rights, of the fight against corruption are, I believe, important allies.

In Venezuela, we either accept domination, total oppression and torture... from Maduro's regime, or we choose freedom, democracy, and prosperity for our people.

I swear to formally assume the national executive powers as acting president.

A pattern has developed under the Maduro regime. When pressure builds, the first recourse is to repress and persecute. I know this because buckshot pellets fired by members of the armed forces - at peaceful protesters in 2017 - remain lodged in my own body. A minor price to pay compared to the sacrifices made by some of my compatriots.

The sanctions have been a key element in making sure that those who have violated human rights and are guilty of corruption have a clear consequence to their actions. They have also been key to helping protect the assets of the Venezuelan people.

My ascension as interim president is based on Article 233 of the Venezuelan Constitution, according to which, if at the outset of a new term there is no elected head of state, power is vested in the president of the National Assembly until free and transparent elections take place.

My duty is to call for free elections because there is an abuse of power, and we live in a dictatorship.

Today, January 23, 2019, I swear to formally assume the powers of the national executive as president in charge of Venezuela.

President Trump's leadership has been very important to this effort of restoring democracy to Venezuela.

The exercise of politics is criminalized in Venezuela.

If we look at the day-to-day suffering of the Venezuelan people, that's not about numbers: it's about human beings.