The White House Moderates Tone, Saying "It Was a Point About Not Releasing Vote Count Results"
Amid ongoing international suspicions over the Venezuelan presidential election results, which have been mired in allegations of fraud, U.S. President Joe Biden expressed support for a rerun of the election.
According to Bloomberg and other outlets on the 15th (local time), President Biden responded "I do" when asked by a reporter at the White House South Lawn whether he supports holding a new Venezuelan presidential election. Although there had been reports that the U.S. government was urging Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to relinquish power in exchange for immunity from drug trafficking charges, this is the first time the president has publicly expressed support for a rerun at the presidential level.
The proposal for a rerun election, which President Biden endorsed, was initially put forward by Brazilian President Luiz In?cio Lula da Silva. In a recent radio interview, President Lula stated, "If Maduro has any common sense, he could form an election commission that is not partisan and hold a rerun election," adding, "Maduro has an obligation to explain himself to Brazil and the international community."
However, shortly after Biden’s remarks, the White House appeared to step back on the issue of holding a rerun election through a separate statement. Sean Sabet, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council (NSC), explained, "What President Biden intended to point out was that Maduro and his forces have not transparently disclosed the results of the July 28 election," and added, "Most Venezuelans, as well as the international community including the United States, are well aware that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia was the candidate who received the most votes."
Local media have interpreted Biden’s comments on the rerun election as either a retraction or a moderation by the White House. It is analyzed that the White House quickly clarified its position to avoid excessive interpretations, mindful of potential accusations of interference in domestic affairs and the fact that both the Venezuelan ruling party and opposition currently oppose a rerun election.
President Maduro rebutted through local state television, stating, "We cannot tolerate U.S. interference trying to pose as Venezuela’s electoral commission." The opposition, which claims victory was stolen due to manipulation by the ruling party, also drew a line against a rerun election. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said, "The election has already been held," and warned, "Maduro should realize that the longer he refuses to step down, the greater the cost will be."
Earlier, Venezuelan election authorities announced that in last month’s presidential election, President Maduro secured a third term by winning 5.1 million votes, defeating opposition candidate Urrutia, who received 4.4 million votes. However, the international community has not recognized the election results as the full vote count was not disclosed. The opposition claims that their own investigation shows candidate Urrutia secured approximately 6.2 million votes, far surpassing Maduro’s 2.7 million votes. In Venezuela, protests rejecting the election results have intensified, resulting in casualties.
Amid the turmoil in Venezuela, South American leaders are scheduled to gather in the Dominican Republic within days for the inauguration of President Luis Abinader, where they will discuss solutions to the Venezuelan crisis. On the 14th, President Lula and Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who had a phone conversation to discuss solutions, proposed not only a rerun election but also the formation of a national unity government including the Venezuelan opposition’s participation in governance.
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