The largest opposition coalition in Venezuela, grouped in the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), presented this Sunday a roadmap to hold “free elections”, which includes the appointment of new authorities of the National Electoral Council (CNE) and achieving a transition in the country.
In a press conference, the general secretary of the PUD, Roberto Enríquez, indicated that the transition plan has three stages: stabilization, economic recovery and reconciliation, as well as the holding of elections, the EFE agency reported.
Stabilization is aimed at the “effective restitution of political, legal and constitutional guarantees” to open a “real democratic process.”
In addition, it includes the “autonomous functioning of institutions, respect for the rule of law and the full exercise of political and civil rights.”
A provisional and independent CNE
In this context, he proposed the appointment of a “provisional, independent” CNE, with “guarantees of transparency, balance and professionalism of the electoral referee”, the full restitution of political rights and the lifting of all political disqualifications “imposed without due process.”
Likewise, the PUD demanded the return of the electoral cards and symbols of the political parties to their “legitimately constituted authorities affected by administrative or judicial decisions.”
For the stabilization stage, he considered it “essential” to “dismantle the repressive apparatus”, the full and immediate release of all political prisoners and effective guarantees of non-retaliation against political and citizen participation.
Once this stage has been overcome, the process must advance towards the phase of economic recovery and reconciliation, aimed at restoring democratic trust and creating conditions of governability.
This involves the progressive recovery of economic and institutional confidence, the adoption of policies for the social and productive recovery of the country, the promotion of democratic coexistence based on respect, justice and “non-persecution as the foundation of national reconciliation.”
Finally, the last stage is the holding of “free, competitive and recognized elections at all levels of the State, in an environment of reestablished political and institutional guarantees.”
“The PUD considers that a political negotiation process will be necessary to make the democratic transition viable, generate guarantees for the different actors and allow the construction of agreements that make the institutional restitution of the country possible,” he stressed.
For his part, the leader of the PUD, Edmundo González Urrutia, pointed out that Venezuela is not in a transition by stating that “the control structures do not disappear on their own, all of that is still there, adapting, seeking to survive.”
«Venezuela needs the truth, it needs memory. “He needs those who caused damage to answer for him,” added the former ambassador when participating in the press conference virtually.
The PUD reiterated its claim about the 2024 presidential elections, in which it claims that Nicolás Maduro was defeated by González Urrutia, who is in exile in Spain.
After the United States captured Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez took over as interim president and has reestablished relations with the North American country.
EFE
