Lisbon, Oct 16 (EFE).- A delegation of the Venezuelan opposition began this Wednesday a round of contacts with the political parties of Portugal so that the Iberian country expressly recognizes “the electoral victory of Edmundo González Urrutia” and supports its efforts for greater international recognition.
The delegation is headed by the former mayor of Caracas Antonio Ledezma and José Antonio Vega, coordinator in Spain of the campaign command of the Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado and González Urrutia.
Ledezma and Vega, accompanied by leaders of the Venezuelan community in Portugal, met today with leaders of the CDS-Popular Party, one of the formations that make up the conservative alliance in the Portuguese Government, and with the leader of the Liberal Initiative (IL), Rui Rocha.
IL is precisely behind a proposed resolution that will be voted on this Wednesday in the Assembly of the Republic (Portuguese Parliament) “for the international recognition of Edmundo González Urrutia as the winner of the Venezuelan presidential elections on July 28, 2024.”
The Government of Portugal does not recognize Nicolás Maduro as the re-elected president of Venezuela because the electoral records have not been published, but it has not expressly recognized González Urrutia as the winner of the presidential elections.
As EFE was able to verify, during their meeting this Wednesday with Rocha, Ledezma and Vega explained the situation in Venezuela and updated him on their efforts to achieve international support for González Urrutia.
After the meeting, Ledezma said that the objective of these contacts is “to seek the solidarity of the people of Portugal, the Government of Portugal and the leaders of the different political forces in Portugal.”
“Venezuela today needs a supportive and effective hug from the Portuguese community,” the former mayor of Caracas said in statements to EFE.
Ledezma clarified that “this is not an ideological problem,” since they are going to speak with all Portuguese political forces, both right, center and left, “because above these ideological barriers are the human rights that Maduro is violating.” in Venezuela.
He recalled the weight of the Portuguese community in the Latin American country and stressed that they are people who suffer firsthand “the humanitarian tragedy.”
Ledezma was accompanying González Urrutia last week during a visit to Portugal, which was barely publicized, in which they met with the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paulo Rangel.
With his current contacts, the opponent noted that they are seeking approval of the resolution proposed by IL “recognizing the victory of Edmundo González.”
It would be “one more step, because the fact that the Government of Portugal and the political leaders and civil society of Portugal do not recognize Maduro’s arbitrary proclamation – he noted – means that they are automatically recognizing that the undisputed winner of the elections on 28 July is Edmundo González Urrutia.
For his part, Rocha maintained, when asked by EFE, that from the first moment of the elections in Venezuela his party “has always been” on the side of Machado and González Urrutia and that is why they will continue helping the Venezuelan people.
“What we are going to discuss today is precisely this further step that Antonio was talking about, giving one more push to this cause of freedom and democracy, recognizing Edmundo as legitimate president,” remarked the Portuguese politician, who nevertheless He admitted that he has doubts that his resolution will go ahead.
The Venezuelan delegation will remain in Portugal until tomorrow, Thursday, where it plans to have contacts with other groups such as the ruling Social Democratic Party (PSD), of Montenegro, and the Socialist Party (PS), among others.
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