We remain cohesive and mobilized and united because this is our goal - to rebuild Venezuela.

My ascension as interim president is based on Article 233 of the Venezuelan Constitution, according to which, if at the outset of a new term there is no elected head of state, power is vested in the president of the National Assembly until free and transparent elections take place.

All those who talk about democracy, freedom, and the rule of law, of human rights, of the fight against corruption are, I believe, important allies.

The sanctions have been a key element in making sure that those who have violated human rights and are guilty of corruption have a clear consequence to their actions. They have also been key to helping protect the assets of the Venezuelan people.

Politics is for the present, but an equation is for eternity.

Motorists who want to save money on gas will demand and buy more fuel-efficient vehicles. We should not limit their freedom with more government regulations.

As president, I have the right to call a referendum based on a law that the Catalan parliament has approved.

We need to reaffirm that politics is not merely compatible with economic progress and development in the 21st century, but essential to it.