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Thousands Support Venezuela's Guaido at Madrid Rally

Reuters

   MADRID - Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido joined thousands of
   supporters at a demonstration in Madrid on Saturday after arriving in
   Spain on the last leg of a European tour.

   Speaking in a central square packed with supporters holding signs
   calling for "democracy," Guaido emphasized the importance of
   international support in unseating Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.

   "We need the support of the world to fight against the groups operating
   in Venezuela. Wehave the opportunity toget Venezuela back because we
   are together. We can heal Venezuela," he told a crowd of people waving
   Venezuelan flags and chanting, "Yes, we can."

   "It is the struggle of a whole country in favor of democracy," he said.

   Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez did not meet Guaido, a decision
   that angered right-wing opposition parties but was welcomed by Unidas
   Podemos, the far-left coalition partners of Sanchez's Socialists.
   Podemos members have voiced support for Venezuela's leftist ruling
   party in the past.

   Instead, Guaido met Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha GonzalezLayaas
   well as Madrid's mayor and regional president, both from the
   conservative People's Party (PP).

   Guaido'svisit coincided with a political spat in Spain over reports
   that Transport Minister Jose Luis Abalos secretly met a senior Maduro
   aide who is subject to a European Union travel ban at Madrid's Barajas
   airport on Monday.

   PP leader Pablo Casado criticized Sanchez for not meeting Guaido and
   called on him to dismiss Abalos.

   Sanchez told reporters earlier in the day that Spain's government
   wanted elections in Venezuela "as soon as possible," buthecriticized
   Spanish opposition parties for using the crisis in Venezuela "against
   the government."

   He also voicedhis backing for Abalos, saying "he put all his efforts
   into avoiding a diplomatic crisis and succeeded."

   Guaido has defied a travel ban to seek support in Europe, where he has
   spoken at the European Parliament, attended the World Economic Forum in
   Davos and met with leaders including Emmanuel Macron and Boris Johnson.

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