US calls for ‘free elections’ in Venezuela amid opposition

US diplomatic chief for Latin America Brian Nichols said Joe Biden’s government met on Friday (13) with members of Venezuela’s opposition to President Nicolás Maduro to support efforts to “achieve free elections”.

“A valuable meeting with members of the Unitary Platform negotiating team to reaffirm US support for your work to achieve free and fair elections in Venezuela in 2024,” Brian Nichols said in a tweet.

“We support the Venezuelan people in their efforts to restore democracy,” he added alongside a photo of the crowd.

The meeting could be interpreted as an endorsement by the delegation after radical leader Leopoldo López made some declarations against some opposition representatives whom he accused of favoring the “interests” of the Savista president.

Venezuela failed to seize power after a section of the opposition dissolved an “interim government” recognized four years ago as a ruler by the United States and 50 countries, calling for Maduro’s re-election. A “fraud”.

The Unitary Platform participates in the dialogue table with the Maduro government in search of a way out of the political crisis in Mexico last November and calls for presidential elections in 2024 in a transparent and egalitarian framework.

Maduro, for his part, on Thursday demanded the lifting of “all” international sanctions imposed on him to pressure him to leave power.

There is no date yet for the next meeting between the parties, although the Venezuelan president has made it a condition for the delivery of $3 billion blocked by sanctions.

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