In a joint statement released on Friday, Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, the United States, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay rejected the decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Court to validate Nicolás Maduro’s electoral victory.
“We categorically reject the announcement by the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela, which indicated that it had concluded an alleged verification of the results of the electoral process of July 28, issued by the National Electoral Council, and which seeks to validate the unsupported results issued by the electoral body,” the eleven countries stated in their letter.
The United States and the ten Latin American countries reiterated in the statement, released by the Ecuadorian Foreign Ministry, that “only an impartial and independent audit of the votes, which evaluates all the minutes, will guarantee respect for the sovereign popular will and democracy in Venezuela.”
«Conversations about a transition»
The text goes on to say that, “like the rest of the international democratic community, we will continue to insist on respect for the sovereign expression of the Venezuelan people who expressed themselves peacefully and forcefully on July 28.”
“We express our deep concern and rejection of the human rights violations perpetrated against citizens who peacefully demand respect for the right of citizens to vote and the restoration of democracy,” the eleven American nations said.
Meanwhile, a statement from the US State Department says that “now is the time” for the parties to “begin discussions on a respectful and peaceful transition” in Venezuela. “Continued attempts to fraudulently claim victory for Maduro will only exacerbate the current crisis,” the statement added.
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