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The elected president of Chile, José Antonio Kast, supported this Tuesday the possibility of a U.S. intervention in Venezuela to "put an end to the dictatorship" of Nicolás Maduro, whom he previously referred to as a "narcodictator."
"We are not going to intervene because it is not our place, but if someone is going to act, they should be clear that they are solving a problem for all of us: for Latin America, for South America, and even for countries in Europe," Kast declared during a press conference in Buenos Aires, where he met with Argentine president Javier Milei.
The leader of the Republican Party, far-right, added that “the situation in Venezuela is unacceptable and unsustainable” and stated that he had discussed the matter with the presidents of Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Panama, Costa Rica, and El Salvador.
"Everyone is fully aware that what is happening in Venezuela cannot continue. If someone decides to intervene, they will have our moral and political support," said Kast, amid increasing pressure on the chavista regime from the United States.
He also accused Nicolás Maduro of preventing the return of Venezuelans who wish to come back to their country, because the ruler "prefers that they stay abroad and send money."
"The president of Venezuela prefers that migrants remain abroad, sending remittances. But I warn him of something: the remittances from irregular migrants will no longer reach him," he said challengingly, without specifying which concrete measures he was referring to.
However, in the same conference, he raised the possibility of creating a "humanitarian corridor" for deporting irregular immigrants in Chile, where Venezuelans, Haitians, and Bolivians are predominant.
The statements from the elected Chilean president came just hours after his meeting with Milei at the Casa Rosada, during his first international visit following his victory in the second round of elections last Sunday, with 58.1% of the votes against the leftist Jeannette Jara.
Kast emphasized that his visit to Argentina is part of a regional tour in search of "good examples" of governance and assured that he shares "complete harmony" with the Argentine president regarding security, economy, and immigration policy.
Both leaders agreed to coordinate efforts on border security, the fight against organized crime, and the promotion of investments.
Milei described Kast as "an ally in the defense of freedom" and confirmed his attendance at the inauguration ceremony on March 11 in Santiago, Chile.
With his statements regarding Venezuela and irregular migration, Kast sets the tone he intends to establish from the beginning of his term: a foreign policy aligned with Washington and focused on combating authoritarianism and uncontrolled migration, in open opposition to the governments of Nicolás Maduro, Gustavo Petro, and Daniel Ortega.
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