Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has criticized the United States’ position on the recent elections in Venezuela, labeling it as “reckless.” This statement comes amid heightened tensions following the contested Venezuelan presidential elections held on July 28, 2024.
In his daily press conference, Lopez Obrador emphasized the need for non-interventionism by the international community in Venezuela’s internal affairs. He remarked that such statements from the U.S. do not aid in resolving the electoral disputes in the South American nation. The Mexican president’s comments were directed at U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who claimed that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia received the most votes in the elections, contrary to the results declared by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council (CNE), which named incumbent President Nicolas Maduro as the winner with 51.2% of the vote.
Lopez Obrador reaffirmed Mexico’s stance on recognizing the election results as declared by the Venezuelan electoral authority, provided the process was transparent and reflected the will of the Venezuelan people. He reiterated that Mexico would not participate in any emergency meetings proposed by the Organization of American States (OAS) regarding the Venezuelan elections, citing the OAS’s perceived bias and calling for a reduction in interventionism).
This development highlights the ongoing international debate over the legitimacy of the Venezuelan elections and the broader geopolitical implications of such interventions. The Mexican president’s call for restraint and respect for national sovereignty adds a significant voice to the discourse surrounding electoral integrity and international relations in Latin America.
