Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro during his television program Con Maduro+ on Monday, October 16, 2023. Photo: Presidential Press.
This Monday, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denied a news report issued by The Washington Post (WAPO), which claimed that an agreement would be signed with the United States on Tuesday. This agreement allegedly proposes to relieve sanctions in exchange for lifting the disqualifications of opposition candidates, allowing international monitoring and giving access to international media in the upcoming 2024 presidential elections. Maduro said that WAPO seeks to distort the negotiation process.
From his program “Con Maduro Más+,” the head of state said that the report is part of a “manipulation operation: the operation of creating lies based on speculations of what has been a process of global conversations regarding a set of issues. They want to manipulate the facts.” He pointed out that he has been careful with regards to this issue, since that was the agreement, however “they release these leaks through national and international media networks in order to lie. They are sabotaging the negotiations, conversations, and agreements that have already been signed,” in clear reference to the US and its local operators.
“We have respected the entire process with ethics and honor,” Maduro stated. He urged the media to stop fabricating lies and manipulating the agreements reached, while specifying that he will not endorse illegality in any process within the country.
He exclaimed: “Don’t lie! Venezuela is working very seriously to achieve justice and we will continue to move forward, since I respect the agreements. The law, institutions, and constitution of Venezuela should be respected. Fascism will not pass.”
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Maduro also reported that “we are about to start a good round of document signing that will guarantee a fair electoral process,” referring to the renewal of the dialogue with the opposition sectors that make up the Unitary Platform, which took place this past Tuesday, October 17.
“These agreements will be very beneficial for peace and the upcoming elections.” said the President.
“All previous, current and subsequent audits of the electronic system are guaranteed, and all guarantees of the electoral system are a given, plus any other ones that are within the framework of the law, the constitution, and the decisions of the Venezuelan institutions,” stated President Maduro.
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
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