Credit: OEC
Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said he supports free elections and the alternation of power in Venezuela, a shift from his party’s long-standing support for the government that began under Hugo Chávez in 1999, Bloomberg reports.
The presidential candidate said he wishes Venezuela to be “as democratic as possible” so the result of its elections is accepted by all. “There is no irreplaceable president,” he told journalists in Sao Paulo. “I defend alternation of power in Brazil, Venezuela and in every country.”
For the latest session of the Council of the Americas’ Democracy Dialogues, AS /COA Vice President Eric Farnsworth probes Venezuela’s democratic prospects in a one-on-one interview with leading opposition figure Leopoldo López, National Coordinator of the Voluntad Popular Political Party.
From intermittent negotiations between the Maduro regime and the opposition in Mexico to prospects for meaningful elections in 2024, from the burgeoning migration crisis to the role of the international community, the 30-minute conversation uncovers current realities and reveals the strategy that animates current thinking and prospects for success, AS /COA reports.
In Venezuela, the Maduro regime has used—and perfected—the dictator’s playbook. With elections likely looming in 2024, it is important to understand whether the exercise of elections could serve as an important rallying point for a democracy playbook in Venezuela, CSIS adds.
A forthcoming event will discuss the practical ways in which the Venezuelan opposition, democratic leaders in the Western Hemisphere, civil society, multilateral organizations, and the private sector can utilize tools from the democracy playbook to begin restoring Venezuela’s democracy and create space for more competitive elections in 2024.
Sharpening the Democracy Playbook: A Practical Approach for Venezuela
Speakers:
- Ryan C. Berg, Senior Fellow, Americas Program.
