US position hypocritical
While the US goes ballistic when it believes a country such as Russia interferes in its elections, it nevertheless has a policy of regime change with interference in elections in countries it thinks are counter to US interests. On the other hand favored countries such as Israel freely interfere in US elections. In keeping with such a contradictory and hypocritical policy the US thinks nothing of not just interfering but sabotaging Venezuelan elections. If the opposition boycotts the Venezuelan elections this will be sufficient grounds for the US rejecting the results.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said: “Conditions for free and fair elections do not exist in Venezuela, We, and our democratic partners in Venezuela and the international community, will not contribute to legitimizing yet another electoral fraud carried out by the Maduro regime.”
The “democratic partners” include self-proclaimed interim president Juan Guaido who with his allies support a boycott of the elections. Guaido is recognized as interim president of Venezuela by the US and dozens of US allies.
US demand splits opposition
The US demand has split the Venezuelan opposition. The top opposition figure Heneique Capriles is calling for the opposition to compete in the election and encourage a high turnout. Capriles has run twice before. The US does not want another election because the US accepted Guaido as the president after Maduro was elected. The US has just declared regime change. Maduro is not the legitimate president who can call for elections. Guaido is the interim president and should be recognized as such by the whole world. If there are elections Maduro could win again. For the US free elections are not possible until their coup attempt and Juan Guaido are globally recognized. Since the Guaido coup attempt has not succeeded any elections must be sabotaged until the coup is successful.
Capriles faulted the policy of recognizing Guaido and just “playing government on the Internet”. Capriles feels the opposition should try to become government through elections. He noted that some are pessimistic about the vote and are looking for the US to install them but others are anxious for a vote that can give them legitimacy in a manner the US cannot.
