President Maduro Renews Call for Dialogue as Elections Draw Near

This Monday, during the broadcast of the Con Maduro+ program, President Nicolás Maduro expressed his commitment to convening a great national dialogue once the next elections on July 28 are complete. The president highlighted the importance of establishing a path for a future in which all sectors of Venezuelan society can actively participate.

“Once the National Electoral Council (CNE) reads the results on the night of July 28, that blessed day of victory, the first thing I will do as president of the Republic, already ratified by the people, will be to call for a great dialogue—cultural, business, social, political—with the entire Venezuelan society,” said Maduro.

He emphasized his role as a promoter of dialogue in the country, following the example of his predecessor, Hugo Chávez, who always defended dialogue, understanding, and respect for the Constitution. President Maduro emphasized that the objective of this dialogue is to establish a harmonious future vision for Venezuela, and he firmly condemned any form of violence or unrest promoted by sectors of the opposition during the electoral campaign.

“They always use electoral campaigns to try to destabilize the economy, politics, and the spirit of the people, but we are not going to allow it,” said the president. “In Venezuela, peace will prevail before, during, and after July 28, because peace has arrived for stay. We are willing to give our lives for peace so that the people can enjoy tranquility and stability.”

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Furthermore, in line with the proposal of the president of the National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, President Maduro reaffirmed his commitment to recognize the results of the July 28 elections. He highlighted his willingness to sign an agreement, before the Electoral Branch, in which all candidates present recognize the official results issued by the CNE.

“I believe in the electoral system, I believe in Venezuelan democracy, I believe in the people and in a deep and true democracy. I am ready,” said the president.

In an interview, the opposition analyst and president of Datanalisis, Luis Vicente León, recognized the possibility that sectors of anti-Chavismo, particularly the most radical sectors, are not willing to recognize an eventual victory of the Maduro government, which could lead to allegations of fraud.

“If the opposition is going to claim fraud, I wouldn’t dare say it, it is a strategic design,” León said. “I would think that there are some segments within the toughest opposition that would not be able to recognize a victory for the Maduro government.”

A clear sign of this is the response of candidate Edmundo González Urrutia to President Maduro’s initiative to recognize the results of July 28.

Edmundo González descartó firmar el acuerdo propuesto por el Pdte. @NicolasMaduro para reconocer los resultados de las elecciones.
Y tiene la osadía de decir que el Acuerdo de Barbados "quedó en letra muerta".
¿Cuál es su verdadero plan? Electoral no es.#NicoLeEchaPichon pic.twitter.com/BFVagjcg1p
— El Cuarto Rojo (@ElCuartoRoj0) June 11, 2024

León also projects President Nicolás Maduro’s opening to political dialogue with all sectors of society once his new presidential term is established. He maintains that the speech presented by the president indicates that they will seek agreement mechanisms after the elections.

The Venezuelan head of state is implementing a proactive strategy by convening a national dialogue to counter possible insurrectionary acts by the opposition sectors (the Democratic Unitary Platform and Vente Venezuela) that back the candidacy of Edmundo González. These groups have expressed their intention to resort to destabilization and political violence in the event of unfavorable electoral results, something that, even within their ranks, is considered increasingly likely due to the lack of a solid electoral strategy and organization and due to their focus on generating over-confidence and high expectations among González’s followers.

The trajectory of these opponents is characterized by anti-political tactics that seek to access power in a violent way. This trend highlights the relevance of dialogue as a fundamental tool, which the Maduro government once again relies on to establish communication channels, promote an environment conducive to resolving conflicts peacefully, reduce tensions, and lay the foundations for peace and political and social stability in Venezuela in the near future.

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/KW/SL