Caracas: Speaking at a news conference Tuesday, President Nicolás Maduro claimed his Colombian counterpart had plans to have him assassinated.
"Iván Duque participated in the plans to try to assassinate me on election day. That is the truth," said Maduro without offering any evidence to back up his accusation.
Maduro made the remarks two days after Sunday's elections in which he cemented formal control over all major institutions of power in Venezuela.
Read:| Maduro's alliance claims win in Venezuela polls
The elections were boycotted by the main opposition parties, led by opposition leader Juan Guiadó, arguing that there were no conditions for free and democratic elections.
Guaidó, the current head of the Legislative and who in 2019 declared himself interim president in defiance of Maduro, maintains that the election was essentially the culmination of a fraudulent process that would have the objective of annihilating the opposition.
On January 5th the new National Assembly is set to begin its functions for the next 5 years leaving the current opposition lawmakers without institutional ground to maintain their roles as lawmakers.
"It will happen. Reality will impose itself on fantasy and fantasy will disappear from the political life of the country," said Maduro referring to Guaido's self-declared interim presidency recognized by over 50 countries around the world.
"It does not matter if that fantasy is supported by the United States, Europe or the Martians," Maduro added.
AP
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