Bogota, Oct. 14, (dpa/GNA) – The Lima Group of American countries on Tuesday rejected Venezuela’s plans to hold parliamentary elections on December 6, saying the poll lacked “the most minimal democratic guarantees.”
The elections will not allow for “the participation of all political forces,” according to the statement, which called for “free, fair and credible presidential and parliamentary elections” in the country.
Most opposition parties intend to boycott the elections, which they regard as an attempt by President Nicolas Maduro’s government to fraudulently take control of the National Assembly, the only government institution still dominated by the opposition.
The legitimacy of the elections has also been questioned by the European Union and the United States.
The Lima Group reiterated its support to opposition leader Juan Guaido, whom dozens of countries have recognized as Venezuela’s interim president.
It condemned “the systematic human rights violations” by the Maduro government and called for a thorough investigation into its links with “organized crime, terrorism and transnational corruption networks.”
Colombia’s Foreign Ministry issued the statement after a virtual meeting of the representatives of Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza accused the Lima Group of ignoring human rights violations in Colombia.
“We suppose that the failed Lima Group very dedicatedly discussed the massacres, violence, repression and expansion of drug trafficking in Colombia,” he tweeted.
Maduro has presided over an economic meltdown and political unrest that have sent some 5 million Venezuelans fleeing abroad.
The Lima Group was created in 2017 to seek a regional solution to the Venezuelan crisis.
GNA