Venezuela’s opposition leader Maria Corina Machado thanked the G7 leaders this Friday –Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom– for his “unequivocal support” to the presidential elections that the Caribbean country will hold on July 28, for which they requested respect the rights of anti-Chavismo.
“We thank the G7 leaders for their unequivocal support for democracy and free and fair elections in our country. The entire world must support this demand for respect for human rights, for the release of political prisoners and for the cessation of persecution of members of the opposition,” the former deputy expressed in X.
According to him, Venezuelans are determined to “enforce popular sovereignty through voting,” which is why he has called on the opposition to monitor the transparency of the elections, in which he supports former ambassador Edmundo González Urrutia, candidate of the main party. anti-Chavista coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD).
“The clarity and support of the international community reminds us that we are not alone in this firm purpose”, remarked the liberal.
The G7 countries criticized Venezuela this Friday for withdraw its invitation to the European Union (EU) to observe the presidential elections on July 28 and asked for guarantees for the opposition, according to a draft of the final declaration of the group’s summit in Italy, which Caracas rejected.
“ANDWe are deeply concerned (…) regarding the rights of the opposition within the electoral process and the decision to withdraw the invitation for an EU electoral observation mission”says the G7 in the document to which AFP had access.
The statement was criticized by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry, although supported by the main opposition leader María Corina Machado, who could not attend the elections due to disqualification but who uses her popularity to support her replacement, the diplomat Edmundo Gonzalez.
“The decadent imperialism has never had such poor and ridiculous leadership as the one that the G7 exhibits today. Rejected by their own people, they intend to resort to colonial practices and get involved in matters that do not concern them,” said the Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, on the X social network.
In May, the Venezuelan National Electoral Council (CNE), with a pro-government line, announced its decision to exclude the EU observation mission from the July electoral process, in which President Nicolás Maduro will seek a third term.
The CNE decision was adopted after the European bloc ratified individual sanctions against some 50 officials, denouncing a “hostile attitude.”
The G7, which brings together Germany, Canada, the United States, France, Italy, Japan and the United Kingdom, also asked Caracas to guarantee “competitive and inclusive elections,” as well as “an end to harassment of opposition members and the liberation “immediate release of all political prisoners.”
(With information from EFE and AFP)
