▲ Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro showed their political support yesterday at a demonstration in Caracas.Afp Photo
Emir Olivares and Laura Poy
The newspaper La Jornada
Friday, August 2, 2024, p. 25
President Andrés Manuel López Obrador stated that the solution to the post-electoral conflict in Venezuela must adhere to the legality of that country, which is why he rejected a possible mediation by other nations, including Mexico, as well as the obvious interference led by the Organization of American States (OAS).
The position of his government, he stressed, is to promote four guarantees: that there be no violence, respect the will of the Venezuelan people, present evidence and records of the election results, and put a stop to the interference of actors who respond to groups of international hegemony.
During yesterday’s morning press conference, hours before speaking by telephone with his counterparts from Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, and from Colombia, Gustavo Petro, the Mexican president asked to wait for the Venezuelan electoral authorities to issue their decision.
Why such a rush? Legally, the electoral court has 30 days to make a decision. I hope it will be in less time.. He also recalled that when the post-election conflict in the United States arose, his administration waited until a resolution from the corresponding authorities to congratulate and recognize Joe Biden’s victory.
Regarding the call he would have in the afternoon with Petro and Lula, he said that it would be given to discuss the positions that are held in the case of Venezuela. We have acted with prudence in order not to get involved in an issue that fundamentally concerns the Venezuelans..
“Could mediation be agreed upon during that call?” he was asked.
–No, in our case that is not our aim. The truth is that we think that the issue can be resolved in Venezuela with the participation of the electoral bodies, in accordance with the Constitution, the laws of that country, the electoral authorities. That is our position. And there should be no interference.
Haste without reason
He criticized the position that the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, has maintained regarding this conflict. The election was on Sunday and on Tuesday it declared that the elections had been fraudulent, and that not one candidate had won, but another had won, without having any proof of anything. Furthermore, it did not have the legal authority, not only because it is an external body, which has nothing to do with Venezuela, but because with what authority does it set itself up as an electoral judge? That, instead of helping to resolve differences, aggravates them. We must wait for the results to be in.
He stressed that the OAS does not help or act prudently. And for this reason Mexico decided not to be part of the session called in the organization on Wednesday, in which the attempt to reach a majority of member countries to pressure the Venezuelan authorities to publish failed. immediately the election results.
The OAS It seems like an appendix of hegemonic governments or right-wing conservative governments, authoritarian, in fact anti-democratic.the Tabasco native emphasized.
He said that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had suggested that the records would be handed over and that the National Electoral Council should call on the candidates and parties to hand over all the evidence.
He admits that he does not have all the records because it is maintained, and this must be proven, that there was a cyber intrusion to bring down the computer system..
López Obrador insisted that the solution to the Venezuelan crisis must be legal. That the court (Electoral Council) acts promptly, of course with impartiality; that all evidence is collected, that a resolution is issued soon and that everyone abides by it. That is it, and that there is no violence. Let us wait..