“Maduro has to learn that when you win, you stay and when you lose, you leave”

• The Brazilian president said he was scared when he heard Maduro’s statements in which he spoke of a “bloodbath” if the government loses on July 28

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reacted to statements by his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolás Maduro on what could happen if the opposition wins the elections. presidential election the 28th of July.

“The loser gets a bath of votes, not a bath of blood (…) Maduro has to learn that when you win you stay, and when you lose you leave and prepare for another election,” Lula said in an interview with international journalists on July 22.

The Brazilian president said he was “scared” when he heard Maduro say that there would be a “bloodbath” if the ruling party loses the presidential elections. He added that he has had the opportunity to speak with the Venezuelan president on two occasions about the upcoming elections.

“I was scared by that statement (…) If (Maduro) wants to contribute to solving Venezuela’s growth problem and the return of those who left, he has to respect the democratic process,” he added.

Lula da Silva: “The only opportunity”

EFE/Andre Borges

According to the Brazilian president, next Sunday’s elections will be “the only opportunity” for Venezuela to “return to normality” and for the country to reintegrate into the regional and international community.

“That is what I wish for Venezuela and for all of South America,” he added.

He also reported that in addition to the Two observers to be sent by the Brazilian electoral courthas decided that his former foreign minister and current advisor on International Affairs, Celso Amorim, who will be present at the elections on Sunday, will also travel to Venezuela.

Lula has always advocated for elections that are in line with the Barbados Accords, with full participation of the opposition and with results recognized by all.

He also defended the presence of international observers and expressed his “concern” about the veto of opposition leader María Corina Machado, who was later replaced as a candidate by former diplomat Edmundo González Urrutia, who polls place as the favorite for Sunday’s elections.

International community calls for free and transparent elections in Venezuela

The Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD)made up of Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and the Dominican Republic, called on July 17 for free, transparent elections in Venezuela accompanied by international organizations.

“We reiterate our call for free, fair and transparent elections to be held in Venezuela on July 28, with the support of recognized international organizations and in a climate of peace and full respect for the rights of all political actors,” the ADD document states.

Photo: Taken from X / @CancilleriaEc

The bloc of countries affirmed that transparent, free, peaceful and inclusive elections in Venezuela “are the ideal path to achieve democratic stability, sustainable development and social peace” in the country.

They also urged Venezuela to comply with the Inter-American Democratic Charter and to act in line with the objectives of the Barbados agreements, signed in October 2023.

“The will of the Venezuelan people, the foundation of democracy, must be respected. (…) The result of the Venezuelan election must be a transparent reflection of the popular will freely expressed at the polls,” the statement added.

This statement by the ADD comes amid the arrest of several opposition leaders by agents of the Venezuelan state. Because of this, the president of Transparency International has expressed his opposition to these actions.

With information from EFE

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