Juan Guaidó reiterated that the lifting of sanctions will be carried out if an agreement on free elections is reached in Venezuela

The President in charge of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, told a Mexican newspaper that the lifting of international economic sanctions against the regime of Nicolás Maduro will be conditional on an agreement on the holding of presidential elections “with guarantees”.

The elimination of these economic sanctions will be possible “in the face of compliance with an agreement,” Guaidó said in an interview with the newspaper. Reform published this Tuesday.

“What do some sanctions mean? These are tools and mechanisms available to the international community today to put pressure on dictators like (that of Belarus, Alexander) Lukashenko, like (that of Nicaragua, Daniel) Ortega ”Guaido said.

Recognized as president in charge of Venezuela by the United States and about fifty countries, the opponent added that “The gradual lifting of sanctions, to which our allies have shown the will to do so, only comes with the achievement of an agreement.”

A solution so that there is in Venezuela “governability, stability, passes through a presidential election with guarantees and conditions, (which) today there are none in Venezuela, unfortunately”, a- he declared.

Washington, Ottawa and Brussels are prepared to review their sanctions policies if dictator Nicolás Maduro facilitates “significant progress” in the dialogue.

On Monday, a third round of negotiations concluded in Mexico City between the regime and the Venezuelan opposition, with “partial agreements” aimed at establishing mechanisms to deal with the covid-19 pandemic. And the parties are expected to meet again later this month.

Moments later, Maduro declared himself “satisfied” with these partial agreements.

“I think the start was a success”, welcomed the Chavista president on Tuesday, even if he denounced “plots” against the negotiations.

“There are international maneuvers from Colombia, from the United States, to put an end to this dialogue that we have built with patience (…) and that we want to maintain”Maduro said in an address broadcast on state television.

Last Sunday, the dictator warned that these negotiations would not lead to “impunity”, which is interpreted as a warning for Guaidó, who was appointed interim president in 2019 and who is facing multiple accusations from the dictatorship socialist.

Maduro also said that Guaidó was a “puppet” of the United States.

“We not only have recognition from the United States but from 60 countries, something Maduro does not have and he cries for it.”Guaido condemned.

(With information from AFP)

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