Obama Administration says Venezuelan Court Interfered with Election Results
Obama Administration says Venezuelan Court Interfered with Election Results
The OAS could continue to lead a pro-democracy push to see what outside efforts could be used to protect the electoral process, comments COA's Eric Farnsworth.
The Obama administration accused the Venezuelan government Monday of meddling with the newly elected congress after the Venezuelan Supreme Court decided to block several elected officials from taking their seats. But the administration stopped short of calling for stronger action, such as imposing penalties as proposed by Miami Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Fla., and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J.
“We are concerned by the Venezuelan government’s efforts to interfere with the newly elected National Assembly exercising its constitutionally mandated duties,” State Department spokesman John Kirby said Monday. “We continue to call for respect for the will of the people.”
The Venezuelan opposition called the high court’s decision a “judicial coup” after judges blocked four elected lawmakers who are supposed to take their seats Tuesday. In a statement, the Supreme Court denied the allegations, saying the rumors “do not contribute to the environment of tranquility and peace....”
But Eric Farnsworth, vice president of the Washington-based Council of the Americas and a former State Department official, said Almagro had been aggressive in his stance against the Venezuelan government. He could continue to lead a pro-democracy push to see what outside efforts could be used to protect the electoral process, including the charter, Farnsworth said....
