By The Diary
Sep 17, 2024, 4:33 PM EDT
U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke Tuesday with Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González and María Corina Machado in a call in which he promised to defend democracy in that country.
In a call with opposition figures, the top diplomat also said he would “work to ensure that the will of Venezuelan voters is respected and hold Maduro and his representatives accountable for their actions,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.
Blinken also praised González Urrutia and Machado’s “courage and commitment” to democratic principles in the face of brutal repression.
This is the first time that Blinken has spoken with both opposition leaders since the July 28 elections, the results of which were announced by the National Electoral Council (CNE), which declared Nicolás Maduro the winner without presenting evidence, and were not recognized by the United States.
After the opposition leader went into exile in Spain, the head of US diplomacy issued a statement blaming the “anti-democratic” measures of the Chavista regime.
“His departure from Venezuela is a direct result of the anti-democratic measures that Nicolás Maduro has unleashed since the election against the Venezuelan people, including against González Urrutia and other opposition leaders,” Blinken said in a statement.
He also said that González remains “an indisputable voice for peace and democratic change in Venezuela,” and that the United States supports him in his call to continue “the fight for freedom and the restoration of democracy.”
As a measure to hold the Maduro regime accountable for what they consider electoral “fraud,” the United States announced last week sanctions against 16 officials who obey the Venezuelan president.
Continue reading:
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