Latin American countries worry about Venezuela harassing and persecuting opponents — MercoPress

Latin American countries worry about Venezuela harassing and persecuting opponents

Abrams says Maduro needs to accept he will be defeated

Uruguay, Argentina, Costa Rica, Guatemala and Paraguay signed a statement on Friday expressing the countries’ concern about the increasing “harassment and persecution” of opposition leaders by the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro ahead of the July 28 election, which most pollsters predict Maduro will lose.

The signatories also agreed that the electoral process should “bring an opportunity for peace, unity, progress and democracy to Venezuela.”

The document states that the five countries have been “concerned about the harassment and persecution of Venezuelan opposition leaders and supporters and members of civil society, including the arbitrary detention of a number of opposition figures, which threaten the realization of the legitimate electoral process.” The document also calls for “an immediate end to the harassment, persecution and repression of opposition political and social activists and the release of all political prisoners.”

The joint statement said “democratic principles as well as the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Venezuelans” were at risk.

The move follows a string of recent violent actions by the Bolivarian government against opposition leaders María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia. In addition, Maduro accused Argentine President Javier Milley of trying to sabotage the election. He also called the Liberal politician a “malparido,” which roughly translates to “bastard.”

“They want a massacre, a tragedy, to suspend the elections, and then the Americans, Milley, (Ecuadorian President) Daniel Noboa and the right-wingers will come out and suspend the elections,” Maduro said. “I tell you, we are ready. We are resolute, calm and rational. Rain, thunder and lightning, on July 28, Venezuela will hold presidential elections. No one will disrupt the elections.”

Maduro also said this week there would be a “massacre” and “civil war” if he does not win, while Machado has repeatedly condemned sabotage attempts against the opposition campaign.

With Maduro seemingly on the verge of defeat, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Elliott Abrams suggested granting Maduro amnesty and letting him accept his fate. Abrams likened the situation to that of former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega in the late 1980s. “In 1988, the United States negotiated with then Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega,” Abrams recalled in an opinion piece. “Noriega was indicted in Miami for drug trafficking, and we wanted him to step down and leave Panama.”

“In order to get Noriega out of office and return Panama to democracy, we offered him a deal: If he left, we would drop the indictment,” recalled Abrams, who was then undersecretary of state for Latin American affairs in President Ronald Reagan’s administration.

Noriega eventually rejected all the deals and was overthrown by force. He was extradited to the United States and sentenced to 40 years in prison.