Venezuela leader thanks hostile Trump for making him 'famous'

 

FILE PHOTO: Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attends a joint news conference with his Belarussian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko following their meeting at the Independence Palace in Minsk, Belarus October 5, 2017. REUTERS/Vasily Fedosenko

 

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro baited U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday by thanking him for a barrage of criticism that had made him famous worldwide.

 

"It's an honour that the head of the empire mentions me every day," said the 54-year-old president, just back in Venezuela from a trip to Russia, Belarus and Turkey.

 

"That means I'm doing something right!" Maduro laughed, during his weekly programme on state TV.

 

Saying Venezuela has become a corrupt and repressive dictatorship, the U.S. government has widened individual sanctions on top officials including Maduro and also prohibited new debt dealings with Caracas.

 

Businessman-turned-president Trump has repeatedly criticized Maduro and his Socialist Party in public and at meetings with other heads of state.

 

"Donald Trump has become the head of the Venezuelan opposition," said Maduro, who has ruled the OPEC member since 2013 but seen his popularity plummet during an economic crisis.

 

"He has made me famous around the world. Every time he mentions me, they love me more," Maduro added, saying he had been acclaimed by people abroad on his visit to nations who have all had frayed relations with Washington.

 

Maduro said he had a one-and-half hour meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin where, among other subjects, he discussed the possibility of trading Venezuelan oil in rubles because of the U.S. financial sanctions.

 

"A whole new world is opening up for Venezuela thanks to Trump's sanctions," said Maduro, who has also said he hopes to move Venezuela's commercial transactions to euros, yen and rupees.

 

On Oct. 15, Maduro's government faces off with Venezuela's opposition in elections for state governors. Maduro used his TV show to accuse foes of sabotaging public services during the campaign, including cutting electricity cables.

 

Appearing next to him on TV, Vice President Tareck el Aissami said that an opposition-linked activist had been arrested for an explosion that injured seven policemen during anti-Maduro protests earlier this year.

 

Venezuela's opposition says the government routinely frames activists by planting explosive materials, arms and money, and invents links between them and criminals, to justify political repression.

 

(Reporting by Andrew Cawthorne; editing by Grant McCool)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-09

 

what a douche bag

Douche bag maybe, but that's a pretty astute way to handle a character like Trump, don't you think? 

This jerk was already 'famous' before Trump legitimately focused on him...

'Socialism is a great form of government until you run out of other people's money" - Lady Thatcher

5 hours ago, NumbNut said:

Douche bag maybe, but that's a pretty astute way to handle a character like Trump, don't you think? 

 

No, it isn't.

 

That is, unless he's looking for another international crisis sparked by juvenile comments and sustained by inflated egos. What possible good would come out of it for Venezuela?

Venezuela used to be one of the best countries in South. America until Chavez came to power with his failed socialist BS

Look at the place now and tell us again who is the Douche Bag? 

9 hours ago, webfact said:

the possibility of trading Venezuelan oil in rubles because of the U.S. financial sanctions.

Nice try for diversion.

Russia is a substantial net oil exporter. It doesn't need Venezuela oil transported halfway around the world. For Venezuela the trade with Russia using oil barter is only a token gesture for both to poke at Trump.

Over 90% of Venezuela's exports and about half of the government's revenue come from oil. The issue for Venezuela isn't that it needs to find oil buyers but mismanagement of nationalized oil production and revenues. http://www.dw.com/en/5-things-to-understand-about-oil-rich-cash-poor-venezuela/a-38478166

 

Venezuela's problem is low oil price . If it went back to 100 $ or more , they would get better. But the sanctions are good . Now another oil producer is dumping the $. They export a lot to China , trading in Yuan , possibly convertable to gold,  is a good thing .

14 hours ago, Boon Mee said:

This jerk was already 'famous' before Trump legitimately focused on him...  'Socialism is a great form of government until you run out of other people's money" - Lady Thatcher

'As opposed to capitalism which needs propping up out of other people's money' - Me

9 hours ago, canopus1969 said:

what a douche bag

I would be also very proud of being called a 'douche bag' by the greatest douche bag in the history of usa