Venezuelan regime and opposition meet to advance election schedule

representatives of The Venezuelan regime and opposition met this Monday To carry forward the program of holding elections amidst the atmosphere of tension in the country. Expulsion from the United Nations Human Rights Office and arrests of Hispanic-Venezuelan Rocío San Miguel,

President of the National Assembly of Venezuela, george rodriguezSaid that “a draft” has been agreed with all political sectors participating in the negotiation process to prepare a program for the elections.

“We held a meeting with several interventions from representatives of the unitary platform. The head of the delegation made a general proposal regarding the development of the presidential elections this year 2024, “he indicated in a press conference included in the Assembly profile on the social network X.

Rodríguez stressed that he would analyze the proposals of unitary platform According to the electoral program established by the National Electoral Council (CNE), “so that everyone feels included in the process”.

Similarly, he has pointed out the differences between those who want to work, in the context of the Maduro regime, and those who “always have other intentions, other agendas” or who want to harm Venezuela and its institutions. “are in flagrant violation of whatever is the Barbados Agreement and the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Mexico.”

For his part, the Venezuelan opposition’s chief negotiator, Gerardo Blyde, The United Nations Human Rights Office has criticized the regime for the escalation following the expulsion and arrest of Spanish-Venezuelan activist Rocío San Miguel.

“We still don’t know the reasons well. No one has properly explained the reasons for this. “It hinders an office that is dedicated to ensuring human rights,” he said. He said many prisoners in the country “went to it to present cases.”

Blythe indicated regarding the arrest of Rocío San Miguel that “Right to due process and defense”, as well as the presumption of innocence, “does not exist.” “Without respecting the presumption of innocence, they convict them in the media based on facts and often without evidence. “This is very serious,” he indicated.

“All increase, suppression, “What is increasing does not contribute to the peace and the obligations that the parties owe each other under the Barbados Agreement,” he indicated, “the harassment of members of political parties and delegates to the 2015 Assembly”.

Blythe has indicated that neither the delegation nor the Unitary Platform or the opposition Maria Corina Machado He has “disassociated” from this objective, although he reminded that all candidates should be respected regardless of internal elections held within parties. “We were complying with Article 67 of the Constitution,” he said.

“Why was the electoral registry not opened? When will a serious registration drive be opened in all the parishes of the country? This was part of the commitment, such as the plan for national and international observation,” it has been questioned.

Bleed has also wondered how it is possible for there to be no specific date for the election. He criticized, “There must be electoral security, a pathway, conditions for certainty and not an individual’s whims and an electoral calendar when it suits them.”

In this sense, he stressed that they continue to work “so that the agreement is completed and progress can continue on everything provided for in the Barbados Agreement.” “But for that to happen, everything signed must be completed,” he said.

The opposition’s chief negotiator also mentioned the electoral observation process, pointing to Carter Center staff, EU and UN experts. “Why is it late?” Has asked a question.

Representatives of Norway, the country mediating talks between the regime and the Venezuelan opposition, were present at the meeting. The meeting comes after the National Assembly held a number of negotiating tables with political and social organizations to develop a ‘roadmap’.

Spanish-Venezuelan activist Rocío San Miguel —the director of the NGO Citizen Control—arrested on February 9 for alleged involvement in a conspiracy against the Nicolas Maduro regime, met with a family member for the first time on Sunday, as her lawyer said on Monday, Joel Garcia.

(with information from EP)