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In Venezuela, Guaido affirms that these elections will come with foul play
Venezuelan opposition Juan Guaidó denounced this Friday that "there is no fair game" in the local and regional elections next Sunday, to which the anti-Chavista bloc will attend for the first time in five years.
In addition, he affirmed that the authorities did not allow the return of the exiles, despite the fact that three of the opposition candidates T omás Guanipa in Caracas, José Manuel Olivares in the state of La Guaira and Américo de Grazia for the Government of Bolívar returned to their country, and they have been able to campaign.
In the opinion of the former deputy, "the advantage of the regime" of President Nicolás Maduro is total, since they use public media to promote the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), allow irregular registrations and make use of public resources.
"There are no conditions for free elections"
"Our position on that (electoral) event has been very firm and, in recent weeks, the facts support it: there are no conditions for a free and fair election in Venezuela," he stressed, despite the fact that the majority of opponents they have supported participation in the elections.
Among those who have supported the decision to go to the polls is Voluntad Popular (VP), the party led by Leopoldo López and in which Guaidó has spent his entire career.
To the different observation missions, including one from the European Union (EU) which he did not mention directly, he demanded that they present reports that are a "clear image of all the abuses of the dictatorship" which he considers that the President Maduro holds office.
Called to "recover democracy"
Finally, he made a summons, among those who, according to the polls, have a very negative image, to follow all Venezuelans fighting together for the objective of recovering democracy and overcoming the crisis.
To do this, we are going to insist on a comprehensive agreement (in negotiations with the Government) that provides urgent solutions and allows conditions for free, fair and verifiable presidential and parliamentary elections, he concluded.
The main opposition parties presented candidates for the regional elections on Sunday, after refusing to participate in the 2018 presidential elections, in which Maduro was re-elected, and in the 2020 legislative elections, in which Chavismo regained control of Parliament, for considering these processes "fraudulent".
The day will feature an observation mission from the European Union, which returns to the country after 15 years, as well as the Carter Center.
Last Tuesday, Kevin O'Reilly, deputy assistant secretary for the Americas of the State Department, said that the Venezuelan regional elections do not meet the conditions to be "fair or free."
Some 21 million Venezuelans are called to elect 23 governors and 335 mayors, as well as municipal and regional legislators.
