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You called a Constituent Assembly, which many people, including on the Chavista side, didn't expect. You were branded a dictator by the US for doing so, because of the National Assembly and its role it lost its role.
In August of 2018, you faced an assassination attempt. Drones strapped with explosives attempted to detonate during a military parade, when you were standing with your ministers. So it was an attempt to kill you and many of your ministers.
I want to know what was going through your head during the assassination attempt. What were you thinking as it occurred? And what was the hardest decision you took during this period from 2017 leading up to the coup?
NICOLAS MADURO: First of all, Venezuela is a deeply democratic, free country. In 20 years, we have lived through a process of revolution. Commander Chavez who was the founder of this Bolivarian Revolution, inspired by the ideals and legacy of our Liberator, Simon Bolivar, can be considered for history as the great democratizer of the political and civil life of Venezuela.
In these 20 years, we have had, for example, 25 elections. Presidential elections every time the Constitution calls for it. Parliamentary elections, elections for governors of the 23 states, elections for mayors of the 330 municipalities, elections for local and regional legislatures. Elections for referendums for consultations on national issues, such as reforming the constitution. 25 elections.
Our forces, the Bolivarian, Chavista forces, have won 23 of those 25 elections. We have won against the united opposition. They are always united. We have beaten them 23 times.
Last time, for example, we beat them, just two years ago or less 18 months ago, we beat them in 19 of 23 governorships, including in the country's biggest states.
Of the 335 municipalities, through popular votes, we beat the opposition in 307. And on May 20th of last year, I beat two opposition candidates who participated in the elections, with 68 percent of the vote.
Venezuela has an open electoral registry. Venezuela does not have compulsory voting. It has an electoral registry in which 99 percent of voting age people are registered. In contrast to the United States in which over 30 percent of voting age people are not in the electoral system. It's a big difference.
I won with 68 percent of the votes cast. But I can give you more information. I won 33 percent of registered voters. How much did Donald Trump get when he won? 22 percent of registered voters, on top of the fact that 30 percent of voting age people in the US are not registered. There are small details one can see.
The level of legitimacy of the Bolivarian revolution, of Venezuelan democracy, the level of legitimacy of my leadership as president of the republic, of the governors, of the mayors, of the constituent members, of the legislators, is very high, it's real. It's what the KKK of the United States does not want to understand. They don't want to understand that our legitimacy is real. We are real, just as this wood is. We are real. Our legitimacy is real, certain, strong.
That is why they fail and will continue to fail, Max. Write it down. We're in 2019 and they have failed. They will continue to fail in their coup attempts, their destabilization, they will fail in everything, we will defeat them in everything with votes, with the people, with democracy, with freedom, with institutions.
Now, a year ago, it will be a year in August, there was the attempt. I can tell you that today I have proof that the assassination attempt was ordered by John Bolton in the White House.
MAX BLUMENTHAL: You're saying John Bolton personally commanded an assassination attempt against you?
NICOLAS MADURO: And he waited for the results in the White House. If you dig deeper, you'll see it someday. The proof will come out how John Bolton, in coordination with then Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos. And they gave the task to Julio Borges, a former legislator in Venezuela.
We have testimony, we have witnesses, proof. All the material authors of this assassination attempt by drone were captured. Some of the operational and intellectual authors were captured. And it all points to Julio Borges in Bogota'. It all points to Juan Manuel Santos in Colombia. All of it. All the logistics, the institutional support, technical assistance, support from Colombian intelligence. It all points to John Bolton, who has a criminal mentality, a murderer's mentality.
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