HAVANA TIMES – Ten Latin American countries, the United States, and the European Union, rejected the ruling of Venezuela’s Supreme Court that validated the re-election of President Nicolas Maduro in a joint statement issued on August 23.
“Only an impartial and independent audit of the votes, evaluating all the tally sheets, will ensure respect for the sovereign popular will and democracy in Venezuela,” stated the text simultaneously released by the 11 governments.
These governments are Argentina, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, the United States, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. Although Canada did not sign the text, it has repeatedly aligned with these views.
Notably absent were Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico, which remain in consultations to find a solution to the crisis triggered by the presidential election on July 28 in Venezuela, so far without visible results.
In the region, only Bolivia, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines have recognized Maduro’s electoral victory. Most Caribbean countries are keeping their distance from the issue, although they supported the call fora credible audit of the electoral process in the Organization of American States (OAS).
Josep Borrell, in charge of foreign relations for the European Union