Controversial election result - Latin American countries concerned about Venezuela election
After a presidential election in Venezuela marred by fraud allegations, several Latin American countries are seeking an emergency meeting of the Organization of American States' (OAS) Permanent Council. They aim to pass a resolution "protecting the will of the people within the framework of the Democratic Charter and the basic principles of democracy in our region," according to a joint statement published on the X platform by Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The governments of Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay expressed deep concern over the conduct of the presidential election in Venezuela. They called for "a full review of the results in the presence of independent electoral observers to ensure respect for the will of the Venezuelan people, who participated massively and peacefully in the elections," the statement said.
Peru has recalled its ambassador for consultations, Peru's Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea announced. Brazil's government expressed satisfaction with the "peaceful nature" of the election day in Venezuela and reaffirmed its intention to continue monitoring the process, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Following the presidential election in crisis-stricken Venezuela, both authoritarian Nicolás Maduro and the opposition claim victory. The National Electoral Council (CNE) declared incumbent Maduro the winner. The opposition did not recognize the official results and claimed victory for their candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia. Doubts about the official election results also emerged abroad, including in the USA.
Venezuela is grappling with mismanagement, corruption, and sanctions. More than 80% of the population lives below the poverty line. According to UN figures, more than seven million people have fled the country in recent years due to poverty and violence.
Peru joined the chorus of Latin American nations expressing concerns over the Venezuelan election, as Peru's Foreign Minister Javier González-Olaechea recalled the country's ambassador for consultations. In the aftermath of the contentious presidential election, Peru stands firmly against any perceived defiance of the will of the Venezuelan people.
