The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, on Sunday expressed his rejection of the xenophobic campaign against the Venezuelan people promoted by the Colombian Vice President, Germán Vargas Lleras, who on Thursday from Tibú, a municipality bordering Venezuela, said that the houses being built there by the Neogranadinean government should not be handed over to “venecos”, a discriminatory expression to refer to Venezuelan citizens.
“We cannot let this happen. I indignantly reject the declarations of xenophobia and hatred against Venezuela by Germán Vargas Lleras, and I make him a public demand so that he retracts and apologizes to Venezuela for his declarations of contempt and full of hatred, “said the Head of State during his weekly program “Los Domingos con Maduro” (Sundays with Maduro), which he leads, this time, from Bolivar state, in the south of the country, where he shares with the workers of the basic companies of Guayana.
More than 5,800,000 Colombians are currently living in Venezuela, who have been included in the various social programs promoted by the Bolivarian Government. Only in Táchira state, in the border area, have been given decent houses to 10,140 Colombian families who emigrated to the country, according to information provided by the Governor of that state, José Gregorio Vielma Mora.
“We love the Colombian people,” said the Venezuelan President, who reiterated his emphatic rejection of the statements made by the Colombian high official and demanded respect for Venezuela and for its worthy people.
Likewise, President Maduro expressed regret at the complacent and silent stance of the Venezuelan right-wing leaders in the face of this onslaught and aggression against Venezuelans, behind which “there is a whole intention to raise contempt for the people of Venezuela” .
In that sense, he called on all the people, including the Colombians residing in the country, to reject these actions, a call he extended to the brotherly people of Colombia.
“I ask to demand the ceasing of the campaigns of hatred and xenophobia against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the noble people who gave birth to Simón Bolívar”.
“Mr. Vargas Lleras, there are no ‘venecos’ here, there are Venezuelan men and women, worthy sons of Simon Bolivar, who gave freedom and founded Colombia,” said the President.
