US cautions Venezuela regime of consequences if opposition leader Guaido harmed
February 7, 2020, 10:44 am

US cautions Venezuela regime of consequences if opposition leader Guaido harmed

Venezuela's National Assembly President and opposition leader Juan Guaido attends a session of Venezuela's National Assembly taking place in an amphitheatre in Caracas. (File photo: AFP)

The United States on Thursday warned Venezuela’s leftist regime of consequences if opposition leader Juan Guaido is not allowed to return safely from a visit to Washington.

“We hope that the regime makes the calculation, particularly after this trip, that the support for Guaido is strong and that the counter-reaction to any move against him would make it a mistake for the regime,” said Elliott Abrams, the US point man on Venezuela.

“We’re very concerned about it and we hope that he will return safely,” he told reporters.

Asked to spell out what the United States would do, Abrams said only: “We are prepared.”

Guaido, who is considered interim president by the United States and most other Western and Latin American nations, paid a surprise visit as a guest Tuesday at President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address to Congress.

Guaido later met at the White House with Trump, with the United States according to him the same treatment that it would to any head of state.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s government harshly criticized both Trump and Guaido but in the past has allowed the opposition leader to move freely despite his US-backed efforts to topple the regime.

Maduro presides over a crumbling economy, with millions having fled as they lack necessities, and his last election was widely criticized as fraudulent.

But a year-long US campaign to oust Maduro, including through sanctions to stop Venezuela’s key exports of oil, have failed to dislodge him.

Guaido’s street protests have fizzled in size and Maduro still enjoys the support of Russia, China, and Cuba.

source: AFP

Pompeo says Iraqi protesters have right to ‘government free of Iran influence’ Arab Coalition: Three Egyptian fishermen killed in Houthi naval mine explosion

BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”