Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (right) poses for a picture with Colombia's President Gustavo Petro (left), at the Planalto Palace, in Brasilia, Brazil, Jan. 1, 2023. Photo: AP/file photo.
Caracas—(OrinocoTribune.com)—The presidents of Colombia and Brazil, Gustavo Petro and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva respectively, issued a joint statement in which they reject the use of new illegal sanctions against Venezuela as a tool for regime change by the US government and the European Union, as this idea has been leaked to the media in recent days.
After the Venezuelan presidential election held on July 28, the presidents of Mexico, Colombia, and Brazil have promoted an option that is less aligned with the US interventionist approach. Last week, Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) broke with the group. Lula and Petro publicly requested a rerun of the elections while AMLO advised waiting for the ruling of Venezuela’s Supreme Court, which finally was announced last Thursday.
The unrequested statement published on Saturday, August 24, reads: “They share the understanding that unilateral sanctions are contrary to international law and harm the population of the sanctioned countries, especially the most vulnerable sectors.”
Declaración conjunta de Brasil y Colombiahttps://t.co/rTD3rvmaAl pic.twitter.com/6h9xcoqctj
— Cancillería Colombia (@CancilleriaCol) August 24, 2024
Despite the fact that Venezuelan electoral authorities have presented evidence of cyberattacks on its electoral system, the heads of state requested that the details of the July 28 voting results be published. The Venezuelan Supreme Court had already requested the National Electoral Council (CNE) to do so in its ruling that ratified the victory of President Maduro.
Both presidents called for peaceful dialogue and democratic coexistence in diversity in Venezuela. In addition, the presidents called on the country’s political actors to avoid resorting to violence and repression.
The Latin American leaders added that they remain “convinced that the credibility of the electoral process can only be restored through the transparent publication of disaggregated and verifiable data,” thus reproducing the narrative launched from Washington and the Venezuelan far-right opposition. This request, according to many experts, interferes with the robustness of voting integrity in Venezuela and its sovereignty.
The statement reads: “Brazil and Colombia take note of the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) of Venezuela on the electoral process. They reiterate that they are still awaiting the release, by the National Electoral Council, of the voting records poll station by poll station.”
Lula, Petro, and Washington’s Diplomatic Escalation Against Venezuela
Below is the full unofficial translation of the statement:
Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Gustavo Petro held telephone conversations yesterday and today (23 and 24) on the subject of the presidential elections in Venezuela.
Both presidents remain convinced that the credibility of the electoral process can only be restored through the transparent publication of dis-aggregated and verifiable data.
The political normalization of Venezuela requires the recognition that there is no lasting alternative to peaceful dialogue and democratic coexistence in diversity.
The two presidents call on all those involved to avoid resorting to acts of violence and repression.
As neighboring countries directly interested in the stability of Venezuela and the region, and witnesses to the Barbados Agreements, Brazil and Colombia maintain open channels of communication with the parties and reiterate their willingness to facilitate understanding between them.
Brazil and Colombia take note of the decision of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) of Venezuela on the electoral process. They reiterate that they are still awaiting the release, by the National Electoral Council, of the voting records broken down by poll stations. It is worth recalling the commitments assumed by the government and the opposition through the signing of the Barbados Accords, whose spirit of transparency must be respected.
They also express their total opposition to the continued use of unilateral sanctions as an instrument of pressure. They share the understanding that unilateral sanctions are contrary to international law and harm the population of the sanctioned countries, especially the most vulnerable sectors.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/MCM
