Venezuela - Q&A - Excerpts from the daily press briefing (30.01.19)
Q - President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela said he’s only ready to hold early legislative elections. Might this proposal be an end to the crisis, or are you also calling for early presidential elections at the meeting on Saturday?
A - The Venezuelan National Assembly was elected democratically in the legislative elections of December 2015, and its term should end in 2021.
Nicolas Maduro, on the other hand, is demanding a second presidential term based on the presidential election of May 20, 2018, whose results cannot be considered legitimate.
Far from helping to resolve the crisis, calling for early legislative elections would represent a new obstacle to a political solution to the current crisis. We reiterate our support for the National Assembly and urge respect for its members’ rights and prerogatives, especially their constitutional immunity.