The Venezuelan people continue to suffer under an illegitimate regime intent on destroying democratic institutions. Most recently, the regime of Nicolas Maduro has moved to tighten its grip on power by thwarting the possibility of free and fair elections in Venezuela.
The Maduro regime-controlled Supreme Court recently named a new, regime-aligned National Electoral Council, taking over the constitutional right of the National Assembly to fill these seats.
The illegitimate National Elections Council then announced that elections for a new National Assembly will be held December 6. The Venezuelan legislative body is the only branch of the government not controlled by Maduro and is currently led by opposition leader and interim President of Venezuela Juan Guaidó.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in a statement, condemned “Maduro’s puppet National Elections Committee” for laying the groundwork “for the Maduro regime to illegitimately remain in power without the consent of the Venezuelan people.”
Not satisfied there, the illegitimate Supreme Court, the TSJ, has also stolen the name and branding of three major political opposition parties and replaced their leadership with Maduro’s lackeys. Creating puppet opposition parties is yet another part of Maduro's plan to convince the world that Venezuelans have a choice in any future elections he supervises.
The recent decisions by Maduro’s rigged Central Elections Committee and illegitimate Supreme Court only have one goal, said Secretary Pompeo, “to deny the Venezuelan people their unalienable right to choose their government officials through free and fair democratic elections.”
“The people of Venezuela and the international community will not recognize the outcome of fraudulent processes,” declared Secretary Pompeo. All those who collaborate in denying the people of Venezuela their democratic and human rights may be held immediately accountable by the international community.
The United States has proposed a democratic roadmap, known as the ‘Democratic Transition Framework for Venezuela’ that includes a transition to a broadly-accepted emergency government that can immediately address the humanitarian crisis and organize free and fair presidential and legislative elections, as well as a pathway to lifting Venezuela-related sanctions.
The United States, said Secretary Pompeo, “will continue to stand with the people of Venezuela who want their freedom.”
