Juan Guaidó expects “clear assessment” from EU technical mission that reflects conditions for free elections in Venezuela

Juan Guaidó said on Wednesday he expected a “clear assessment” from the European Union (EU) technical mission who will study this week whether to deploy another observational assessment for the upcoming regional and local elections in Venezuela.

“What are we Venezuelans waiting for on this? (…) The truth, the clear assessment of a system that has been protected by a dictatorship, which has constantly persecuted members of political parties, directives, disqualifications, among others “, the acting president said at a press conference.

He remarked that he hopes that this mission will come “Pay” in the realization of the conditions for the holding of “free and fair” elections. “What we Venezuelans want are conditions, precisely, so this assessment must reflect conditions, not only technical, but also political,” he added.

He also declared that he had full confidence in the European Union and in the standards which the community bloc must regard as a “credible” electoral process.

“Our big request regarding the technical visit which begins this Wednesday in Venezuela is to comply with European standards in the face of a process of free and fair elections”said the Venezuelan opposition leader, stressing that if this is done, the opposition will assess the relevance of participating or not in the November elections.

According to Guaido, in Venezuela, there are currently no conditions for an election because there are parties and politicians with disabilities and political prisoners. According to him, “unfortunately” in Venezuela “an election is not planned”, but “a marked milestone” and enshrined in the Constitution, as elections “suitable for the dictatorship”.

Therefore, he argued that holding regional and local elections is not the solution to the political conflict. The interim president of Venezuela reiterated that the solution, in his opinion, must be given by an agreement which offers guarantees to the parties.

Since May, the opponent has been promoting what he called a “National Salvation Accord” for the holding of “free and fair” general elections in the country.. As he has indicated, he seeks to achieve this agreement through a process of negotiation with the regime of Nicolás Maduro, and although the parties have expressed their readiness to sit down and discuss, the process does not has not yet materialized.

Guaidó said they were still in talks with the Norwegian delegation who could act as an intermediary in the process.

The international community, led by the United States, supported the initiative of the interim government.

Last Monday, on the occasion of the 210th anniversary of Venezuela’s independence, the US President Joe Biden praised Guaidó’s “leadership” in a letter and hoped it would lead to a “peaceful transition” in Venezuela., when the opposition tries to activate negotiations with the dictatorship of Maduro.

“On this day, we reflect on the enormous work that you, your government, the elected National Assembly and, above all, the Venezuelan people have done in their quest for a democratic and peaceful transition in Venezuela,” said the president. American.

The letter, in which Biden does not mention Guaidó by name and addresses him only as “Mr. President”, assures that under the “leadership” of the leader of the opposition and with civil society, “the ideals of freedom, democracy and sovereignty are preserved” in Venezuela.

The President of the United States quoted the liberator Simón Bolívar, who said that “A people who love freedom will ultimately be free”, and concluded the letter with an expression of support for Guaidó’s goals. “We remain committed to supporting the struggle for the freedom of all Venezuelans through a democratic and peaceful transition in Venezuela.”Biden assured.

Maduro on Tuesday called on the United States and other countries not to interfere in the upcoming regional elections in Venezuela. “I say to the government of the United States and other countries: do not interfere in the internal affairs of Venezuela”said the Chavist dictator who, despite the lack of recognition as president by much of the international community, argued that Venezuela has “the best electoral system in the world”.

Maduro made the statements in reference to a request by a US Department spokesperson for free elections and an end to the crackdown on the opposition. “We are not going into the electoral disaster that the United States experienced (…) Venezuela has the best electoral system, the most verifiable and audited in the world, and we are going to the elections and all the candidates who wish it are going to register, ”he said.

“I ask the world, those who accuse us of dictatorship and regime, in what part of the world do you see the exercise in assemblies of citizens and neighbors, in free debate, in free nominations, with the secret ballot for Candidates for the top positions What will be contested in the elections?added.

A few weeks ago, the United States, the European Union and Canada issued a joint statement in which they said they were ready to “review” the sanctions imposed on Venezuela. if there are “significant advances” with the opposition in order to achieve “credible, inclusive and transparent” elections.

(With information from EFE and Europa Press)

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