CARACAS (VENEZUELA) – The US government on Monday accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of “illegally” setting up a new national electoral council to supervise the parliamentary elections due to take place later this year.
Venezuela’s Supreme Court dominated by Maduro loyalists named the council last week. Opposition leader Juan Guaido termed the electoral body “false” and said the opposition would not recognise it.
Venezuela’s constitution grants the power to appoint electoral council members to the National Assembly, which Guaido leads. But the Supreme Court ruled that the legislature had failed to do so.
Although Maduro rules the country, the United States and most other Western countries recognise Guaido as Venezuela’s rightful leader.
In a statement, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said Maduro was manipulating Venezuela’s constitution and the new council would fail to implement the conditions required to hold free and fair elections.
“Without following this process, elections that represent the will of the people are impossible,” Pompeo said. “This step by the regime and its Supreme Court takes Venezuela even further away from a democratic transition.”
In a statement late on Sunday, the opposition coalition said the conditions did not exist for elections to take place guaranteeing transparency, trust and public freedoms, including a “trustworthy” election council.
State television showed the new council holding its first session on Monday though it did not give any details on the upcoming electoral process.
The supreme court on Monday night issued a ruling that named new leaders to opposition party Democratic Action, a move the opposition termed as an effort to cripple Maduro’s adversaries in the election.
“This reveals the regime’s plan to appropriate the … symbols and logos of the democratic forces to legitimise their electoral show,” Guaido’s press office tweeted.
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field