US President Joe Biden on Thursday appeared to back holding new elections in Venezuela, after Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva also floated the idea of new elections, despite opposition from Venezuela's ruling party and its opposition, both of which claim victory in the July 28 elections.
President Biden spoke to reporters in the wake of Mr. Lula da Silva's suggestion that Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro could hold new elections with international observers as a possible solution to the country's political crisis. The United States has not accepted Mr. Maduro's claim of victory.
Asked if he supports new elections in Venezuela, President Biden said “Yes.”
A spokesman for the National Security Council later said that President Biden “was talking about the absurdity of Mr. Maduro and his representatives disagreeing about the July 28 election,” without fully retracting Mr. Biden's comment.
Mr Kirby added that it was “very clear” that opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won the election.
A US official told reporters that the US position had not changed and the vast majority of countries in the region were demanding Mr Maduro release the results and recognize the outcome of the election.
The suggestion to organize new elections is one of several suggestions proposed by the international community, which so far has not received the support of Mr. Maduro and the opposition coalition.
The United States, which tightened sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports in April due to Mr Maduro's breach of an agreement on electoral terms, and other Western countries are showing few signs of acting quickly and tough on allegations of rigging. of elections.
Mr. Maduro condemned the comments of Presidents Biden and Lula da Silva, saying that the United States and Brazil have had contested elections, for which Venezuela has not commented.
