The United States condemns the fraudulent election that took place in Venezuela on May 20. “This so-called election,” said Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, “is an attack on constitutional order and an affront to Venezuela’s tradition of democracy. Until the Maduro regime restores a democratic path in Venezuela through free, fair, and transparent elections, the government faces isolation from the international community.”
The electoral process, said Mr. Pompeo, was “choreographed by a regime too unpopular and afraid of its own people to risk free elections and open competition. It stacked the Venezuelan courts and National Electoral Council with biased members aligned with the regime. It silenced dissenting voices. It banned major opposition parties and leaders from participating.”
Human rights abuses remain a prominent feature of the Maduro regime. As of May 14, some 338 political prisoners remained jailed, more than in all other countries in the hemisphere combined. The regime stifled the free press and state sources dominated media coverage, unfairly favoring the incumbent. “Most contemptible of all,” said Secretary Pompeo, “the regime selectively parceled out food to manipulate the votes of hungry Venezuelans.”
Indeed, most Venezuelans struggle to make ends meet as the economy remains in complete freefall with the bolivar fuerte currency down 99 percent in the past year and inflation at an annual 14,000 percent, according to the National Assembly.
Numerous countries in the hemisphere and throughout the international community condemned Venezuela’s sham election. The Lima group, made up of 14 countries throughout the Western Hemisphere, denounced the vote as failing to meet "international standards of a democratic, free, just and transparent process."
The group, which includes Argentina, Brazil, Mexico and Colombia announced their intention to "reduce their level of diplomatic relations" with Venezuela and encourage international and regional organizations to not issue Venezuela additional credit that could be used by the regime to further oppress the Venezuelan people.
The United States, said Secretary Pompeo, “stands with democratic nations in support of the Venezuelan people and will take swift economic and diplomatic actions to support the restoration of their democracy.”
