Lula da Silva, Gustavo Petro and Gabriel Boric express their concern about the direction and policies implemented by the Venezuelan government
HAVANA TIMES – On the eve of Sunday’s elections, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has received a series of warnings from prominent Latin American leftist leaders, including Brazil’s Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Colombia’s Gustavo Petro, Chile’s Gabriel Boric, and Honduras’ Xiomara Castro. In contrast, Bolivia’s Luis Arce has shown a more lukewarm stance, while Cuba’s Miguel Díaz-Canel and Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega have offered their full support.
Maduro, for his part, described these elections as a decisive moment for Venezuela, where the choice is between “war or peace, democracy or fascism.” During his campaign, he emphasized that the country’s future for the next 50 years depends on these elections.
“On July 28, if you don’t want Venezuela to fall into a bloodbath, into a fratricidal civil war caused by fascists, let’s guarantee the greatest success, the greatest victory in the electoral history of our people,” proclaimed the Maduro on July 17 during an campaign rally in Caracas.
However, the Venezuelan president received criticism from various sectors of the Latin American left, reflecting a shared concern about the direction and policies implemented by his government.
Lula: “When You Lose, You Leave”
Brazilian President Lula da Silva expressed his concern about Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s statements regarding the possibility of violence if he loses the presidential elections on July 28, 2024.
Lula called such statements dangerous and unacceptable, emphasizing that “democratic processes require that those who lose the elections accept the results peacefully.” He insisted on the need for international observers to ensure the transparency of the electoral process.
“I was alarmed by Maduro’s statements that if he loses the elections there will be a bloodbath,” said Lula. “Those who lose elections take a bath of votes, not blood,” affirmed Lula, adding that “Maduro must learn: