Lula and Boric avoid mentioning Venezuela in joint statement
Chilean President expressed doubts about Maduro's victory in the July 28 election
247 - The final statement of President Lula's state visit to Chile, where he met with his counterpart Gabriel Boric, avoided expressing a common position on the situation in Venezuela. While Brazil called for the release of the electoral records confirming Nicolás Maduro's victory in the elections, Boric questioned Maduro's victory, expressing a more antagonistic opposition to Caracas.
In a statement to the press this Monday (5), President Lula reiterated his call for the release of the electoral records in Venezuela and respect for popular sovereignty. Boric, for his part, avoided addressing the issue.
The presidents of Brazil, Mexico, and Colombia called last Thursday for Venezuela to release the detailed vote counts amid a dispute over the results of the presidential election, which has sparked protests in the country.
The Venezuelan electoral council proclaimed Maduro as the winner of the July 28 election, with 51% of the votes, but the opposition, led by candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, did not recognize the results and declared him president.
In response to criticisms of the electoral process, Venezuela expelled diplomats from several countries in the region, including Chile.
The presidential election in Venezuela was held on July 28, and the National Electoral Council declared Nicolás Maduro as the winner. The next day, protests occurred in the country by those who disagreed with the election results; violent clashes between security forces and protesters took place in Caracas and other cities, resulting in the detention of over 2,000 people. Washington, without waiting for the vote count results and subsequent audit, called on the international community to recognize opposition leader Edmundo Gonzalez as the winner of the presidential election in Venezuela. US and EU lawmakers overseeing international relations last Friday threatened to hold Maduro accountable if he did not voluntarily step down as head of state after the election, labeling the results as fabricated.