AREQUIPA, Peru – Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López on Tuesday offered statements in defense of the Chavista regime, saying the country was in the midst of an alleged “coup d’état plotted by the right.”
The minister, surrounded by senior military officials, gave statements to the press in Caracas following the massive protests that took place in Venezuela on July 29 and are expected to continue for several days.
“We are witnessing a coup d’état once again plotted by these fascist factors of the extremist right, supported by imperial factors, American imperialism together with its stooges and lackeys,” said Padrino López, using the official discourse of Chavismo.
According to the military, these actions seek to destabilize the dictator’s government. Nicolas Maduroaccredited by the National Electoral Commission (CNE) as the candidate elected in the last elections on July 28.
“There is a coup d’état underway, and the president and commander-in-chief have taken the lead in stopping it again, along with the people of Venezuela,” he said. “We are going to defeat this coup d’état, once again,” he added.
The minister called on the country’s political factions, especially those he described as subversive (in reference to the opposition), to return to the “democratic and constitutional” path.
Venezuela is experiencing days of tension
Meanwhile, the situation in Venezuela remains tense and at least two people have died during popular protests against the electoral fraud perpetrated by Nicolás Maduro on July 28. The demonstrations, which have spread across several cities in the country and have been repressed by the Chavista armed forces, have also left dozens injured and arrested.
The protests were triggered after the regime of Nicolás Maduro declared itself the winner and was willing to govern for six more years.
Following international rejection, the Chavista government advertisement On Monday, Venezuela announced the expulsion of diplomatic representations from seven Latin American countries that do not recognize the reelection of Nicolás Maduro as president. The decision also includes the withdrawal of all Venezuelan diplomatic personnel from these nations.
In an official statement, the Venezuelan Executive demanded Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Peru, Panamathe Dominican Republic and Uruguay “the immediate withdrawal of their representatives in Venezuelan territory” in rejection of what he described as “interventionist actions and statements” regarding the elections of July 28.
On the other hand, the Department for Electoral Cooperation and Observation (DECO) of the Secretariat for the Strengthening of Democracy (SFD) of the Organization of American States (OAS) concluded this Tuesday that “the results announced by the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela cannot be recognized” Nicolas Maduro is proclaimed the winner in the elections held last Sunday.
In a compelling reportthe OAS recalls that more than six hours after the closing of the voting, last Sunday, July 28, the CNE announced that it had processed 80% of the voting tables and declared the official candidate the winner, Nicolas Madurowithout providing specific details of the tables processed or publishing the minutes.
The multinational organization also states that the figures published by the CNE presented “arithmetic errors” and that these irregularities were part of “a coordinated strategy to undermine the integrity of the electoral process.”
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