In a coordinated diplomatic effort, the governments of Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia have issued a joint statement calling for transparency and impartial verification of the recent Venezuelan presidential election results. This intervention comes in the wake of the National Electoral Council of Venezuela declaring incumbent President Nicolás Maduro the winner, a result that has been widely rejected by the opposition and the international community.The three Latin American nations, all led by left-leaning presidents, are urging Venezuelan electoral authorities to ‘expeditiously advance and publicly disclose the disaggregated data by voting booth’. They emphasized that any controversies surrounding the electoral process should be resolved through institutional channels, respecting the fundamental principle of popular sovereignty.The joint statement also calls for restraint amidst rising tensions, urging ‘political and social actors to exercise maximum caution and restraint in their manifestations and public events’. This plea comes after reports of at least 11 deaths and hundreds of arrests during post-election protests.While the three countries have avoided explicitly recognizing or rejecting the election results, their statement underscores a growing regional concern over the integrity of Venezuela’s electoral process. The Organization of American States (OAS) has already passed a resolution calling for the immediate publication of voting booth records, although this was not supported by Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia.As the situation unfolds, these three influential Latin American nations have positioned themselves as potential mediators, expressing their willingness to support dialogue and agreement-seeking efforts that benefit the Venezuelan people. However, the effectiveness of their intervention remains to be seen, as President Maduro’s government has attributed the delay in publishing detailed results to an alleged cyberattack on the electoral authority.
Key points
- Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia have jointly called for transparency and impartial verification of Venezuelan election results.
- The three countries urge Venezuelan authorities to expedite the release of detailed voting data by polling station.
- At least 11 deaths and hundreds of arrests have been reported during post-election protests.
- The joint statement emphasizes resolving electoral controversies through institutional channels and respecting popular sovereignty.
Contradictions👾While the three countries call for transparency and impartial verification, they have avoided explicitly recognizing or rejecting the election results, potentially contradicting their stance on the importance of electoral integrity.
