Antony Blinken noted that he is “committed to a peaceful restoration of democracy in Venezuela and to the release of all unjustly detained political prisoners.”
This Monday, December 30, the Secretary of State of the United States, Antony Blinken, spoke via telephone call with opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia -recognized by Washington as winner of the last presidential elections in July and currently exiled in Spain- and Maria Corina Machadoto whom he reaffirmed his country’s support.
In addition to reiterating this support for both, the head of US diplomacy has asked during the conversation “that the will of Venezuelans, expressed at the polls, be enforced,” according to State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller, in a statement.
Washington, Blinken has told opponents, is “committed to a peaceful restoration of democracy in Venezuela and to the release of all unjustly detained political prisoners.” The current president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, has insisted that he will be sworn in as re-elected president on January 10, despite the fact that González claims victory in the July elections, which were followed by protests in Venezuela and international complaints after The Venezuelan electoral body granted victory to the Chavista leader, in power since 2013.
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In an event broadcast by the state channel VTV, Maduro said in mid-December that, along with “millions of men and women who will be in the streets,” he will go to the 2020 National Assembly – controlled by Chavismo – to be sworn into office. of president for a third six-year term in power.
Maduro was proclaimed the winner of the presidential elections on July 28 by the National Electoral Council (CNE) on the basis of results that are still unknown in a detailed manner, after which the majority opposition denounced fraud.
Since then, the country has been experiencing a crisis that, according to the largest opposition coalition – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – and various non-governmental organizations, is marked by “persecution” against anti-Chavista leaders and activists and by the largest number of “prisoners.” politicians known in Venezuela, at least, in the 21st century,” as denounced by the NGO Foro Penal.
With information from EFE.
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