Николас Мадуро.
Alyaksandr Lukashenka said that a Venezuelan-style scenario, in which the country’s president was seized by U.S. special forces and taken to the United States, is unrealistic in Belarus. He made the remarks during a speech at the For Spiritual Revival awards ceremony.
“You remember last year, Ivan Mikhailovich, the meeting of the Belarusian Security Council, where we distributed roles in case: what if there is no president? Listen, it was as if we were looking into water. Therefore, the Venezuelan option in Belarus is unrealistic. Even if it happens, we have everything provided for such a case,” he said.
“But in order — I will repeat this to you again, or for the third time — for this not to happen, we, the elite of society above all, moving ahead, must see and know our place. Everyone, in their own place, must do the maximum. Whatever dictatorship or authoritarianism we may have, you cannot force everyone to do this. Therefore, we are destined to be in front in this mad, raging world. If we realize this, everything will work out for us,” Lukashenka added.
Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores were detained and taken to the United States on January 3. They appeared before the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on January 5. Maduro pleaded not guilty and requested a consular visit. Flores also pleaded not guilty and described herself as Venezuela’s first lady. The next hearing in their case is scheduled for March 17.