Boric defends Piñera towards Maduro: “We resolve the differences between Chileans here” | EUROtoday

The Chilean president Gabriel Boric responded this Tuesday to the president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, after, on the Venezuelan tv program Con Maduro + 1, Maduro blamed the late former conservative president Sebastián Piñera (2018-2022) for having allowed the entry “to the criminals” of the Aragua Train to Chile.

“Who took these criminals to Chile? Who knew them, hired them and supported them in Cúcuta to invade Venezuela on February 23, 2019? “The recently deceased, may he rest in peace, former president Sebastián Piñera,” Maduro mentioned Monday evening.

This Tuesday morning, throughout the framework of his go to to the Antofagasta area, Boric echoed the statements of his Venezuelan counterpart: “I may have differences with former President Piñera or other authorities of the previous Government, but the differences between Chileans solve them here, in Chile. Not through the press, talking to foreign leaders.”

Having made the purpose, the Chilean president appreciated that Maduro acknowledged the existence of the Aragua Train, which had been questioned by the Foreign Minister of Venezuela, Yvan Gil. Last week, Gil mentioned the organized crime group was “an international invention.”

“In particular, I think it is important from President Maduro's words yesterday, one, the recognition of the existence and danger of the Aragua Train. I think that, just like the rectifications that occurred last week, is progress compared to what had been previously,” Boric mentioned.

The Chilean additionally referred to the decision made by Maduro in his program during which he requested him to speak personally concerning the problems with organized crime. “I publicly say to President Gabriel Boric, if you want to talk about these issues, let's talk personally, because they throw accusations into the air that the media and social networks later turn into campaigns against Venezuela,” he mentioned.

In this regard, Boric was open to dialogue. “I don't rule it out, I am available. We constantly talk between presidents of Latin America. The important thing here, beyond the rhetoric, is that there is concrete collaboration and, therefore, what corresponds to Venezuela is to collaborate and, hopefully, comply and hand over the criminals who committed a very serious crime such as the murder of the former lieutenant. Ojeda,” he said. And he added: “We are available to have all the dialogue instances that are necessary to combat international crime and transnational crime, because it is a problem that we have throughout the region, throughout Latin America. “That is precisely what diplomatic relations are for, to dialogue and resolve problems.”

The exchange of opinions between both leaders occurs after last Thursday the head of the Organized Crime and Homicide Team (ECOH), prosecutor Héctor Barros, pointed out that the kidnapping and murder of Ronald Ojeda, a former lieutenant who opposed the Government, of Nicolás Maduro and political refugee in Chile, whose body was found on March 2 buried under cement inside a suitcase – was organized from Venezuela and had a political motive.

It is a confirmation against which the left-wing Chilean Administration has demanded that Venezuela extradite two of those involved in the kidnapping and murder of the former lieutenant, along with warning Caracas that “the eyes of the world” shall be targeted on their conduct, as said the Minister of the Interior, Carolina Tohá.

The battle has been carefully adopted by the president, who identified that the Chilean ambassador to Venezuela, Jaime Gazmuri, has traveled to Chile “to be instructed regarding all the actions to be carried out.” Likewise, the Chilean Foreign Minister, Alberto van Klaveren, who was on tour in Europe, introduced ahead his return to Chile to this Tuesday to fulfill with Gazmuri and former Foreign Ministers.

Maduro's statements towards Piñera have been criticized by members of the Libertad y Democracia group, made up of former right-wing leaders from the area and which was chaired till his demise in February by the previous Chilean president. The group has demanded that Nicolás Maduro assume accountability for the issues attributable to the Aragua Train and described his statements as “a blatant attempt to distort reality and divert international attention from the serious internal problems facing his regime.”

“The accusation that former President Sebastián Piñera had some role in the introduction of the Aragua Train in Chile is not only unfounded, but also reflects the continued irresponsibility with which the Venezuelan dictatorship handles the issue of security and transnational crime. “, they stated in a public statement.

Who also repudiated the words of the Venezuelan president against Piñera was the leader of the traditional Chilean right-wing party Independent Democratic Union (UDI), Javier Macaya. The senator lamented “the political misery of looking for any excuse, even resorting to lies if necessary, to not respond to the family of Lieutenant Ojeda and collaborate in clarifying his murder,” and added that the trail of dialogue he has chosen Boric's Government sins “of innocence and candor.” “Venezuela is laughing again, in this case not only at Chile, but particularly and most painfully, at the family of Lieutenant Ojeda. With them it is impossible to clarify a murder of this entity that has been committed in our country,” said the parliamentarian.

From Renovación Nacional, another party of the historic right in Chile, they have also raised their voices. “(Nicolás Maduro) intends to avoid his links with drug trafficking and organized crime, unfairly tarnishing the image of Chile and the memory of our former president of the Republic,” said his board, together with calling on the Foreign Ministry to ship a observe of protest towards the “insults and falsehoods that offend the entire country and its institutions.”

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