Colombia’s government is one of the Venezuelan’s main allies in Latin America.
The President of Colombia,Gustavo Petro,asked on Wednesday for a“transparent scrutiny” in the face of “serious doubts”on Sunday’s presidential electionVenezuelawho gave Nicolas Maduro as the winner, amid allegations of opposition fraud.
“I invite the Venezuelan government to allow the elections to end in peace by allowing transparent scrutiny with a count of votes, minutes and with the veiling of all the political forces of his country and professional international oversight.”
Gustavo Petro, President of Colombia.
The National Electoral Council of Venezuela,official line,grantedthe victory of the elections to Maduro for a third six-year term.
Thousands of opponents took to the streets of Venezuelato claim the triumph of his candidateEdmundo González Urrutiaafter protests that leave at least12 dead and hundreds detained.
“The serious doubts that arise around the Venezuelan electoral process can lead their people to a deep violent polarization with serious consequences,” added Petro, who had so far avoided speaking directly on the elections.
On Tuesday, Petro discussed Venezuela’s situation behind closed doors at a council of ministers. That day,Colombian Foreign Minister Gilberto Murillo urged Venezuelan authorities to reveal election recordswho gave Nicolas Maduro as the winner, amid allegations of opposition fraud.
To the opposition’s complaints aboutAn alleged fraud is added to requests from several countries such as the United States and Brazil for a transparent vote count.
Colombia’s government is one of the Venezuelan’s main allies in Latin America.
Petro, the first leftist president in Colombia’s history, called Wednesday for “an agreement between government and opposition that allows maximum respect for the force that has lost the elections.”
The president also called on the U.S. government to stop economic sanctions against Venezuela, as he considers them an “antihuman measure that only brings more hunger and violence.”
This article has been translated after first appearing in Diario El Mundo