By The opinion
28 Jul 2024, 19:26 PM EDT
In the context of the presidential elections in Venezuela, the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, called for respect for the will of the people as expressed at the polls.
“The United States stands with the people of Venezuela who made their voices heard in today’s historic presidential election. “The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected. Despite the many challenges, we will continue to work for a more democratic, prosperous and secure future for the people of Venezuela,” Harris said.
After the polls closed at 6:00 p.m. local time (10:00 p.m. GMT), Kamala Harris took advantage of her social network X to speak out.
The United States stands with the people of Venezuela who expressed their voice in today’s historic presidential election. The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected. Despite the many challenges, we will continue to work toward a more democratic, prosperous, and secure…
— Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) July 28, 2024
The Joe Biden administration has made it clear that it is closely watching the election and that any kind of political pressure will be “unacceptable,” At the same time, he expressed his hope that the results “reflect the will and aspirations of the Venezuelan people for a more democratic, stable and prosperous future.”
More than 21 million Venezuelans were called to vote this Sunday in elections considered decisive, with an opposition more united than ever and the attentive gaze of the international community.
Chavismo, with the presidential candidate for re-election, Nicolás Maduro, at the helm, is playing for its continued power after 25 years. Maduro is facing nine opposition candidates, including the one from the main anti-Chavez coalition – the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) – Edmundo González Urrutia.
In past days, White House National Security spokesman John Kirby warned that any “repression” in Venezuela’s elections would be “unacceptable.”
“We support peaceful elections… elections that we hope will reflect the will and aspirations of the Venezuelan people for a more democratic, stable and prosperous future,” he said.
“Any political repression and violence is unacceptable. And of course, regardless of who wins, we encourage both candidates to engage with the results peacefully and to work together for the good of all Venezuelans,” he added.
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