Brazilian Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo called the legislative elections held Sunday in Venezuela, boycotted by the opposition, an “electoral farce” and said it was an attempt at Nicolas’ “dictatorship” Maduro to “make himself legitimate”.
“The Maduro regime today organized ‘legislative elections’ in Venezuela in an attempt to make itself legitimate. It will only make itself legitimate in the eyes of those who appreciate or tolerate dictatorship or organized crime, ”the Foreign Minister wrote on his Twitter account on Monday.
The official results of the Venezuelan legislative elections, for which the turnout was low, were not yet known on Monday at around 5.30 a.m. GMT. But there was no doubt that at their end, Nicolas Maduro would take control of Parliament, the only institution still in the hands of the opposition, which considers the ballot as fraudulent and asked his supporters to stay at home.
Mr. Araujo declared that Brazil will continue, “with all the allies who wish”, to work for the “democratization of Venezuela”.
More than 50 countries, including Brazil and the United States, support opposition leader Juan Guaido – who has proclaimed himself interim president – and consider Nicolas Maduro’s second term, which began in January, illegitimate. 2019.
In September, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the Brazilian Foreign Ministry called on the international community not to support these elections. Brazil then cited a UN report accusing Mr. Maduro’s government of having committed “crimes against humanity”, allegations Caracas rejected.
On Sunday, Pompeo said on Twitter that the elections in Venezuela were “a sham and a farce.”