WASHINGTON (Sputnik) — Trump said the referendum Venezuelan people had on Sunday made clear that they stand for democracy, freedom and the rule of law.
"The United States will not stand by as Venezuela crumbles. If the Maduro regime imposes its Constituent Assembly on July 30, the United States will take strong and swift economic actions," Trump on Monday.
14 July 2017, 08:00 GMT
On Sunday, the opposition organized a popular referendum in which over 98 percent of 7.2 million voters said they opposed Maduro’s proposal to call the Constituent Assembly.
Trump said the "strong and courageous actions" of Venezuelans continue to be ignored by "a bad leader who dreams of becoming a dictator.
The statement reiterated the US call for free and fair elections, vowing to stand with the people of Venezuela in their quest to restore democracy in their country.
