BTN News: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has announced he will recognize Nicolás Maduro’s victory in the Venezuelan elections. This recognition will happen if the National Electoral Council (CNE) confirms the election results. López Obrador emphasized the importance of waiting for the official recount before making a formal statement. He stated that his administration would respect the decision made by the Venezuelan people if the CNE confirms the current trend.
The CNE reported that Maduro had won 51.2% of the votes. This was ahead of Edmundo González Urrutia, who is from the opposition’s Democratic Unity Platform (PUD). González Urrutia received 44.2% of the votes. This announcement was made with 80% of the voting stations counted. López Obrador stressed that it is important to wait until 100% of the votes are counted before making any final statements.
During his remarks, López Obrador showed a graphic with the CNE’s data. This data has been controversial for the opposition. He emphasized the need to follow the legal process and to respect the announcement made by the official electoral body, despite the controversies.
Other left-leaning Latin American governments have called for transparency in the vote-counting process. These countries include Chile, Colombia, and Guatemala. Brazil has also suggested waiting for the final results before making any statements. On the international stage, China, Russia, Iran, Nicaragua, and Cuba have already recognized Maduro’s victory. In contrast, Uruguay, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, and the Dominican Republic have requested an urgent meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS) to discuss the situation.
López Obrador has urged patience. He stated that the Mexican government will wait for the CNE’s final confirmation before making a decision. He pointed out that the information currently available suggests a victory for Maduro, according to the electoral authority’s report. He also criticized the significant activity on social media platforms. He suggested that the coverage on these platforms reflects the biases of media companies.
On the day of the election, Mexican Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena expressed Mexico’s interest in the election results in Venezuela. She highlighted Mexico’s affection and concern for Venezuela. Additionally, Citlalli Hernández, the Secretary General of the ruling Morena party, commented on social media. She noted that the “continental right” had organized a reaction to the election results, even though the results were not yet official.
López Obrador also praised the Venezuelan people for conducting the election without violence. He noted that tensions were high towards the end of the voting period. He remarked that the lack of violent incidents was a positive sign. He pointed out that if there had been significant violence, it would have been prominently reported throughout the day. He acknowledged that, given the tense situation, the peaceful conduct of the election was a noteworthy achievement.
In summary, President López Obrador has made it clear that Mexico will recognize Nicolás Maduro’s victory if the CNE confirms the results. His approach emphasizes the importance of following the official electoral process and respecting the decisions made by the authorized body. This stance highlights Mexico’s commitment to democratic principles and legal procedures in international electoral matters.
