Uruguay joins the call for elections and the pressure rises

Montevideo. With a call for "free, transparent and credible presidential elections, in accordance with the Venezuelan Constitution", the meeting of the International Contact Group on Venezuela ended yesterday in Montevideo, with the participation of 14 European and American countries .

The said elections must count "with all the necessary guarantees", according to the final declaration read by the Uruguayan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rodolfo Nin Novoa, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy of the European Union, Federica Mogherini.

The statement stresses "that it is crucial" to restore "a flat democracy, the rule of law, the separation of powers and respect for the constitutional mandate of the country's institutions, especially the democratically elected National Assembly. ".

The call for democratic presidential elections has been signed by Uruguay, the European Union, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Germany, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.

Until now, Uruguay has not asked for elections, but only a dialogue between the parties. The signature signifies a change of position vis-à-vis Venezuela.

Group spokespersons said that Bolivia did not want to sign the declaration of no sharing of points and that Mexico had not done so because it had not joined the International Contact Group, even though his Foreign Minister had attended the Montevideo meeting.

Bolivian Foreign Minister Diego Pary said at a press conference that his country had not signed for not holding the election call, which he said was is an exclusive case to Venezuelans.

Humanitarian aid

The declaration also stresses the importance of deploying international badistance to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. Nin Novoa said: "The humanitarian aid for us is imperative and we will try to generate the channels for Venezuela to allow this help."

Yesterday, at least three trucks carrying several tons of aid began their transfer to Cucuta, Colombia, on the border with Venezuela. In the afternoon, local media showed images of two trucks upon arrival at a collection center in Colombian territory.

The sending of humanitarian aid has generated great tension between the international community that supports the Venezuelan opposition and the Nicolás Maduro regime, which has rejected this support and baderted that his country does not have any support. was not in a state of emergency. For this reason, his government has deployed trucks, an improvised network and two containers on the Las Tienditas bridge, which connects Cúcuta with the town of Ureña, in western Venezuela, to prevent the entry of cargoes.

In Uruguay

The Montevideo meeting began with a speech by host President Tabaré Vázquez, who made many allusions to dialogue, but not to elections in Venezuela.

"The biggest dilemma that Venezuela has raised is peace or war, which is why we insisted that we ask for peace of mind from the parties involved and caution to the international community," said Vázquez.

Mr. Mogherini also spoke at the opening of the meeting and said that the situation in Venezuela needed to avoid "internal violence and external interventions and open the way to a credible political process leading to early elections ". He warned that the Venezuelan crisis could destabilize the whole region and even beyond, because many Venezuelans are also European citizens.

Venezuela is plunged into the greatest political and economic crisis in its history, with hyperinflation reaching 200% in January and a severe recession that has lasted for four consecutive years.

Governors and diplomats from 14 countries attended the meeting in Montevideo. In addition to the Foreign Ministers of Spain, Mexico, Bolivia, Costa Rica and Ecuador, those from Italy, Portugal and Sweden are also present.

According to the Uruguayan presidency, senior French, German, Dutch and British foreign affairs officials would also be involved.

Two thousand generals faithful to Maduro

*DPA Agency