Venezuela: The US assures that the Maduro regime manipulated the elections in its favor | International

The US State Department has issued a statement this Monday in which it assures that the Nicolás Maduro regime has once again deprived Venezuelans of being able to participate in a free and fair electoral process, during the regional and local elections of last Sunday the 21st. “Fearful of the voice and vote of Venezuelans, the regime rudely manipulated the process to determine the outcome of this election long before any vote was even cast,” says Antony Blinken.

For the head of US diplomacy, “the arbitrary arrests and harassment of political figures and civil society, the criminalization of the activities of opposition parties, the banning of candidates across the political spectrum, the manipulation of voter lists, persistent media censorship and other authoritarian tactics nullified political pluralism and guaranteed that the elections do not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people. “

After “the tremendous victory” that, according to Nicolás Maduro, the people “gave them” at the polls, Washington has reacted by reiterating its support for the opposition leader Juan Guaidó and ensuring that he will continue working with his international partners to use “the tools economic and diplomatic “necessary to put pressure on the Maduro government. “The United States supports the people of Venezuela in their desire for a peaceful restoration of democracy through free and fair elections, with full respect for freedom of expression and peaceful assembly,” states Blinken. The Democratic Administration has not changed its policy of support for Guaidó, recognized as interim president of Venezuela by more than 60 countries, including the United States.

Chavismo announced on Sunday that it had renewed and seized its local power with 18 governorships, the mayor of Caracas and most of the mayors. Election day showed a high abstention rate, close to 60%, which revealed citizen satiety. By arbitrarily imprisoning more than 250 people for political reasons, denying Venezuelans their right to freely express their opinions and elect their own leaders, and restricting Venezuelans’ access to accurate information, Maduro robs Venezuelans of the opportunity. to shape their own future, ”says the State Department. Blinken calls “on the Maduro regime to end its repression and allow Venezuelans to live in the peaceful, stable and democratic country that they deserve and have long sought.”

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