The United States affirmed that it supports a “comprehensive, negotiated solution” to the crisis in Venezuela

Julie Chung, Acting Head of the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Western Hemisphere Affairs (AP Photo / Luis M. Alvarez)

The United States government confirmed this Thursday that it supports a negotiated solution to the crisis in Venezuela Address the conditions necessary for the conduct of free elections, But he believes that it is up to the people of that country to decide whether the new National Electoral Council, appointed by the Maduro regime, will contribute to achieving this goal, a senior official said.

“The United States supports a comprehensive, negotiated solution to the crisis in Venezuela that addresses all aspects of the conditions necessary for free and fair elections.”Said Julie Chung, Acting Head of the State Department’s Office for Western Hemisphere Affairs.

The senior official indicated that “It is up to the Venezuelans to decide whether the new National Electoral Council will contribute to this goal.”

On Tuesday, the Chavista Parliament in Venezuela, whose legitimacy is not recognized by much of the international community, appointed a new electoral leadership of five members, two of whom are figures linked to the split, but are currently far from interim President Juan Guaidó.

Chung said the United States continues to push for “fundamental changes” for free and fair elections in Venezuela, including Lifting the ban on political parties, releasing political prisoners unconditionally, inviting trusted international election observers, and establishing a general electoral calendar.

The United States does not recognize Nicolas Maduro’s second term, as does a large portion of the international community (including the European Union and many Latin American countries), due to irregularities in the 2018 elections.

Exterior view of one of the main headquarters of the National Electoral Council (CNE) in Caracas (Venezuela).  EFE / Miguel Gutierrez / Archive
Exterior view of one of the main headquarters of the National Electoral Council (CNE) in Caracas (Venezuela). EFE / Miguel Gutierrez / Archive

The Chavista National Assembly appointed Alexis Corridor Perez, Tania D’Amilio, Enrique Marquez, Pedro Calzadilla, and Roberto Bacon to form New National Electoral Council (CNE) 2021-2028.

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Of these five members, Three of them are related to the Chavista dictatorship. Calzadilla is a 59-year-old historian who was culture minister for the late Chávez between 2011 and 2013. Maduro appointed him minister of university education in 2013, a position he held until 2014.

Damilio will head the Electoral Council, the National Electoral Council entity responsible for the technical organization of the elections, and Corridor Perez will handle the registration of voters. Both were members of the United Socialist Party.

The other two members of the National Electoral Council – Marquis and Bacon – are now separate opposition from the sector headed by Guaidó. Marquez was appointed vice president of the National Electoral Council.

Henrique Capriles, the two-time presidential candidate who faced Chávez and Maduro, considered the appointment “An essential first step to open paths in the constitutional and democratic reconstruction” of the country, but Guaidó refused the appointment.

Secretary-General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Louis Almagro, Condemned the appointment, but the Spanish government considered it a “first step.”

With information from Agence France-Presse

Read on:

Despite criticism from the Organization of American States and Juan Guaidó, Maduro said the new Electoral College is “a deal with the opposition.”
Juan Guaidó said that “imposing” an electoral ruling would deepen the Venezuelan “disaster”.
The Organization of American States condemned the new formation of the National Electoral Council of the Venezuelan dictatorship

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