International Community should be wary of Maduro’s plots to cancel July 28 elections

Maria Corina Marchado and Corina Yoris AP photo

As Venezuela tries to regain democracy, former Bolivian President, Jorge Quirago has warned the international community to be wary of President Nicolas Maduro and the tactics he would employ to maintain his hold on power in the country.

 According to Mr Quirago, “Maduro is going to do anything to cling to power including generating skirmishes with Guyana”

Jorge ‘Tuto’ Quirago - Mision Presidencial Latinoamericana photo

 “He (Maduro) would stir them up to do with the border, he would stir them up to perhaps create a flashpoint that would create or generate a distraction like we’ve seen in other parts of the world …to use that as a justification to cancel the election.”

 Former President Quirago says during Mr Maduro’s time in office Venezuela has become a very unsavory place that offers sanctuary to several terrorists and their organisations including HAMAS, Hezbollah, and remnants of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

 To this end the former President issued a strong call to the United States and other big countries to stand up and take a clear position against Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorship.

 “The big brothers of the region (the US, Mexico, Brazil)  should be on alert and make very clear to Maduro that he has to hold free and fair elections with international observation, respect the verdict July 28 and not stir up any types of conflict in the neighbourhood.”

 He has also noted that should Venezuela increase its aggression towards Guyana on ownership the Essequibo, the world should stand for sovereignty.

 Earlier this year, Venezuela’s opposition frontrunner Maria Corina Marchado was banned from running for office in the July 28 elections after members of her staff were arrested and accused of participating in an anti-government plot.

 Ms Marchado then named Corina Yoris as her replacement but she was unable to register before the deadline unable to access the electoral authority's online system.

In late May Venezuela’s electoral authorities announced that the invitation for a European Union mission to observe the country’s upcoming presidential election was revoked.

International publications have reported that the head of the National Electoral Council cited economic sanctions imposed by the 27-nation bloc as the reason for withdrawing the invitation. Meanwhile, the EU had not yet accepted the invite that was extended earlier this year.

 Former President Jorge ‘Tuto’ Quirago served as President of Bolivia for one year from August 7, 2001 to August 6, 2002. He was Vice President from August 6, 1997 to August 7, 2001.

 Now he serves as the President of Bolivian Think Tank, FUNDEMOS while also serving as a member of the Latin American Presidential Mission