"The Maduro regime deprived Venezuelans yet again of their right to participate in a free and fair electoral process, during Venezuela’s November 21 regional and local elections. Fearful of the voice and vote of Venezuelans, the regime grossly skewed the process to determine the result of this election long before any ballots had been cast," Blinken said on Mon.
Arbitrary arrests, harassment of political and civil society actors, and other authoritarian tactics quashed political pluralism and ensured the elections would not reflect the will of the Venezuelan people, the diplomat argued.
The US stands with Venezuela and supports negotiations to restore democracy in the country, Blinken said. The US will continue to work with Venezuelan and international partners to press for the release of all those unjustly detained by the government and an end to human rights abuses, Blinken added.