July 20, 2024, 10:45 AM
July 20, 2024, 10:45 AM
Anti-Chavez leader María Corina Machado thanked Argentina, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay and Uruguay for their support on Friday (19.07.2024), whose governments condemned, in a joint statement, “the harassment and systematic persecution against leaders and supporters of the opposition” in Venezuela, ahead of the presidential elections on July 28.
“We Venezuelans greatly value this testimony from neighboring countries that are supporting us in decisive hours for Venezuela and the region,” the former deputy expressed on the social network X.
In his opinion, these five Latin American countries have taken “a very clear and firm position just nine days before the presidential election,” in which ten candidates will compete, including the head of state, Nicolás Maduro, and the standard-bearer of the main opposition bloc – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – Edmundo González Urrutia, who is supported by Machado.
“They understand, like other democratic governments in the hemisphere, that we have a unique and real opportunity to advance a peaceful transition to democracy,” added the opposition leader.
“Harassment, persecution and repression”
Argentina, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay and Uruguay denounced the “arbitrary detention” of numerous opposition figures, describing these acts as “a direct violation of fundamental rights and international law.”
They also demanded an immediate end to “harassment, persecution and repression” against political and social activists, as well as “the release of all political prisoners.”
The joint statement also calls on the Maduro government to comply with its international obligations, particularly with regard to the issuance of safe-conduct passes for the six opposition members linked to the PUD who have been seeking asylum since March 26 at the official residence of the Argentine Embassy in Caracas.
During the electoral campaign, which began on July 4, the PUD, opposition leaders and various NGOs have denounced dozens of “arbitrary” arrests, as well as multiple “obstacles” on roads, the closure of businesses that served González Urrutia or Machado and the retention of work teams.
As of Wednesday, July 17, according to the PUD, security officials have arrested 72 people since July 4, of which more than 20 remain in prison.
