The dictatorships of Nicaragua and Cuba bow their heads; Boric joins Lula and Petro, leaving the Venezuelan president isolated.
Santiago. President Gabriel Boric addressed the presidential elections that will take place this Sunday, July 28 in Venezuela, urging the Government of Nicolás Maduro to guarantee transparent and competitive elections and respect the results. Boric joins the Latin American chorus, with the exception of Mexico, which calls for clean elections.
Boric stated that “on the eve of this very important election, I call on the Government and the Venezuelan electoral power to guarantee a normal development of the electoral process, especially the opposition, granting unrestricted respect to the results. This for the good of Venezuela and all of Latin America.”
Asked about Maduro’s statements, who predicted “bloodbaths” if he loses the elections, he stated that “one cannot threaten with bloodbaths. The candidates are baths of votes, which represent popular sovereignty that must be respected at all events. In this we are in line with the President of Brazil,” he said in reference to the statements of Lula da Silva.
Lula expressed fear of Maduro’s threat and the Venezuelan dictator advised him to drink tea. Boric pointed out that the position of the Chilean government is based on three aspects. “That the electoral process in Venezuela ensures transparent, competitive elections subject to international observation, and that full respect for human, political and social rights is guaranteed,” and therefore “what we demand is that electoral guarantees are respected. If that were not the case, Venezuela would be discredited before the international community.”
The presidents with leftist profiles have dedicated words to Sunday’s elections with the exception of the Mexican Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Lula, Petro and Boric are representatives of three different areas of the left.
The United States warned, for its part, that “any political repression and violence is unacceptable,” according to John Kirby, spokesman for National Security, who said he hoped that the votes “reflect the will and aspirations of the people.”
Closing campaign
“I’m going to my rooster Nico!”, “Edmundo President!”: thousands of supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the opposition flooded Caracas on Thursday for the closing of the campaign for Sunday’s presidential elections.
Maduro, in power since 2013, is seeking a third six-year term in this weekend’s elections. His main rival is Edmundo González Urrutia, who appears to be the favorite in the polls with the support of the disqualified opposition leader María Corina Machado.
“The advantage we have is historic,” said Edmundo González. “We are going to win and collect (the victory), and we trust that our Armed Forces will respect the will of our people” at the polls.
Source: eleconomista
