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Helping Venezuelans Reclaim Their Democracy
On July 28th, more than 12 million Venezuelans defied a campaign of harassment, threats, and violence to vote in their country's presidential election. But President Nicolas Maduro refused to accept his loss at the polls. Indeed, Maduro is doing everything in his power to deny Venezuelans the right to determine their own future, said Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the United Nations:
“[The Maduro] regime arbitrarily barred the consensus opposition candidate and then prevented her chosen successor from running. And after Venezuelans turned out to vote in historic numbers, the regime refused to release detailed electoral tallies. It tampered with election results. It falsely declared Maduro the winner. It cracked down brutally on peaceful protesters, political opponents. It unjustly issued a warrant for the arrest of the opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez.”
The world knows about Maduro's abuses. Venezuelan human rights groups have documented the arbitrary arrests of more than 2000 Venezuelans and the killing of dozens of peaceful protesters since the election.
“We come here united in the commitment to defend the human rights of the Venezuelan people and committed to bring about an inclusive Venezuelan led effort to restore the nation's democratic future,” stated Secretary Blinken.
“That means insisting that Maduro engage in a direct dialog with Venezuela's united Democratic opposition that leads to a peaceful return to democracy. The United States and its partners stand fully ready to support this process.”
“[O]ur job is to ensure that [the Venezuelan peoples’] voices are heard,” declared Secretary Blinken.
“That's what we've been pressing for through regional and international efforts. Weeks after the election, members of the Organization of American States adopted by consensus a resolution insisting the regime respect the human rights of the Venezuelan people and calling for the protection, the preservation and the impartial review of election results.”
The UN and European Union have also issued statements condemning the regime's widespread abuses.
“We must continue to call on the regime to stop its repression of peaceful protesters, stop its repression of political opponents immediately and unconditionally release all those who have been arbitrarily detained, including children,” Secretary Blinken said.
“There's so many people in Venezuela who've taken profound risks to reclaim their democracy,” said Secretary Blinken. “Surely, we ... can summon a fraction of their bravery to stand with them as they fight for the right to shape their own future.”