CITY OF PANAMA.- Former Presidents of the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas (IDEA) hold preparatory meeting to serve as international observers in the Venezuelan presidential elections, This July 28, in which the democratic opposition candidate, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutiawill face the official Nicolas Maduro.
The former presidents Jorge Tuto Quirogafrom Bolivia; Miguel Angel Rodriguezfrom Costa Rica; and Mireya Moscosofrom Panama, Vicente Foxfrom Mexico; and the former vice president of Colombia, Marta Lucia Ramirezare in Panama City finalizing details to leave for Venezuela as international observers.
“Our objective in Venezuela is accompany and respect the legitimate will of the Venezuelan people in their struggle to achieve freedom in peace and through voting,” said Miguel Ángel Rodríguez, on behalf of everyone.
The IDEA observation mission group will leave in the next few hours for Caracas, as guests of the Venezuelan opposition, led by Maria Corina Machadoin view of the crucial electoral process in which the country’s next president will be elected for the period 2025 – 2031.
Cabello’s threats to the IDEA group
The former leaders of the IDEA group maintain their intention to serve as international observers of the opposition candidate, despite threats from the number two of Chavismo, Diosdado Cabello.
The regime leader called the observer mission, which received an invitation from the Comando Con Venezuela on June 12, “showmen” and said they would be expelled as soon as they landed on Venezuelan soil.
“Do they think Venezuela will accept this? Are we going to be scared when they arrive? They are not invited. They are showmen… We expelled them! “No problem. They have shown with their conduct that they are enemies of this country,” he said.
Faced with Cabello’s ultimatum, the former presidents reaffirmed their decision to travel to Caracas in a communication sent to the Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro.
They stated that their determination to serve as observers in the presidential elections is based on the commitment made by the Venezuelan regime in the Barbados Agreement, signed in October 2023 with the approval of the international community.
“It (the agreement) requires the holding of a free, fair, competitive, transparent and observed electionas demanded by the essential elements and fundamental components of democracy,” they stressed.
Source: With information from the editorial staff of Diario Las Américas