President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday rejected the idea that the United States government intends to become the electoral authority in Venezuela, and emphasized that it does not practice microphone diplomacy or interfere in the affairs of other countries such as Colombia and Brazil.
Following a meeting with entrepreneurs in Caracas, the head of state stressed that conflicts in Venezuela, of any nature, are resolved between Venezuelans and their institutions.
“I completely and absolutely reject the United States government trying to become the electoral authority in Venezuela or anywhere else in the world. They have to review the tremendous internal problem they have where Donald Trump says he will not recognize any result that is adverse to him and says that… if he loses there will be a civil war in the United States. They have many problems, let them keep their problem because Venezuela, here in our homeland, we Venezuelans rule,” he said.
He also recalled that former President Trump made serious allegations of fraud in the last election and in the end Congress ratified President Joe Biden’s victory, a similar case in Brazil when Jair Bolsonaro, an ally of the Venezuelan far right, cried fraud and it was the Brazilian court that decided.
In relation to neighbouring Colombia, Maduro also said that relations have been rebuilt and that he has privately discussed many issues with President Gustavo Petro, but “I do not practice microphone diplomacy, I never do.”
“We always call each other on the phone and we talk about many issues, but I would never practice microphone diplomacy with Colombia, never, I will never do it. I am the guarantor of the peace negotiations, Venezuela is the guarantor, and I will never give opinions on what Colombia should do to overcome the war, which is terrible, getting worse, no, I will never say to Colombia, your government should do this and post advice on my social networks, no. Every president knows, every state, every country knows what it should do with its internal affairs and we will continue to help Colombia in its peace process without intervening or interfering in Colombia’s internal affairs,” he added.
The head of state also indicated that the process of expert appraisal of the elections of July 28, which is being carried out by the Electoral Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), has been reported to the public.
“I think it is good news for all of Venezuela that the Supreme Court of Justice in its Electoral Chamber is doing the work that we all expect it to do and that this electoral dispute, as the Constitution says, as the law says, is resolved in the highest instance that Venezuela created in its Constitution for this type of matters,” he added.
