Venezuela crisis: Colombia denounces arrest of top Guaidó aide

Statement from Colombia's presidential palace:

President Ivan Duque rejected the arrest of Roberto Marrero, chief of staff of the interim President of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, and assured that "we must be emphatic in condemning that fact and asking for his immediate release."

During the joint statement he gave to his Chilean counterpart, Sebastián Piñera, at the Palacio de La Moneda, headquarters of the Presidency of Chile, the Head of State insisted on the condemnation of the arrest of Marrero, who was arrested this morning in his residence, by members of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (Sebín).

During his speech, President Duque acknowledged the work that has been advanced by the Chilean President in the crisis that Venezuela suffers.

"I want to begin by recognizing, President Piñera, how valuable the work shared with you has been on multiple fronts," said the Colombian president, who highlighted "the progress we have made (Chile and Colombia) in the defense of democratic principles and of liberties on the continent. "

The Head of State highlighted the leadership of President Piñera in the Lima Group, which, he said, "has been vital for the countries to strengthen that diplomatic fence that has allowed the recognition of President Guaidó and the National Assembly" of Venezuela.

Therefore, he urged "to continue moving in that direction, with the firm conviction that we want Venezuela to cherish freedom and have a new institutional rebirth."

Additionally, President Duque thanked his Chilean counterpart for all he has done for the Venezuelan people and acknowledged that "Chile has been present in the attention of what is a serious humanitarian and migratory crisis, detonated by the dictatorship in Venezuela, and for the deterioration of living conditions. "

He recalled that the Government of the southern country "has been present in multilateral cooperation funds and has sent humanitarian aid."

In the same way, he underlined the decision "that you have shown us today to help receive migrants, who come from the Military Forces, who have already yielded any loyalty to the dictatorship and who have sworn allegiance to President Guaidó."

The time for ambiguous positions is over: President Piñera

For his part, the Chilean President, Sebastián Piñera, highlighted the work carried out by the Colombian Head of State in the search for the restoration of democracy in Venezuela.

He emphasized that "the time for ambiguous positions or weak positions is over, and the time has come to speak loud and clear, that Venezuela needs, as much as the air we breathe, to recover its freedom, its independence and, also, respect to human rights. "

"The dictator Maduro is part of the problem and is not part of the solution, President Juan Guaidó is part of the solution and is not part of the problem," he added.

He noted that all instruments should be used "peacefully and within the rule of law for Venezuela and the Venezuelan people to recover, once and for all, freedom, democracy and respect for human rights, which have been usurped by the dictator Maduro and for his Government ".