International pressure on Maduro's regime grows: United States warns that any "repression" in Venezuela's elections will be "unacceptable"

More and more political leaders in the region have urged the dictator Nicolás Maduro to respect the results, after he threatened at a rally with a "bloodbath" if he loses the elections.

On July 28, Venezuela will hold presidential elections in a climate of tension marked by persecution, intimidation and censorship exercised by the regime against its opponents. The international community observes with concern these developments and warns that any act of violence during the elections will be unacceptable.

United States on alert

The United States is one of the countries that this Thursday warned that it will not tolerate political repression or acts of violence in Venezuela's elections.

"We support peaceful elections that we expect and hope will come on Sunday, elections that we hope will reflect the will and aspirations of the Venezuelan people for a more democratic, stable and prosperous future," expressed U.S. National Security Council spokesman John Kirby. "Any political repression and violence is unacceptable. And, of course, regardless of who wins, we encourage both candidates to engage with the results in a peaceful manner and work together for the good of all Venezuelans," he added.

Kirby also acknowledged that Maduro could try to manipulate the election result, but made clear that the White House is closely watching what happens in Venezuela.

Brazil criticizes Maduro's stance.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who used to be an important ally of the regime, sharply criticized Maduro's statements about a possible "bloodbath" in case he loses the elections. Lula emphasized the need to accept the results peacefully, stating that "whoever loses the elections takes a bath of votes, not of blood".

Chile condemns dictator's threats

Similarly, Chilean President Gabriel Boric condemned the threats of violence, stressing that "one cannot threaten from any point of view with bloodbaths, but what the leaders and candidates receive are baths of votes, and those baths of votes represent popular sovereignty, which must be respected at all events".

Former President of Argentina also distances himself

Argentinean former president Alberto Fernandez, who initially planned to participate as an electoral observer, decided to cancel his trip to Venezuela following a request from Maduro's government alleging concerns about his impartiality. Fernandez joined the voices demanding transparency and respect for the results.

Panama attentive

José Raúl Mulino, president of Panama, stressed that he is attentive to the Venezuelan elections and warned that a worsening of the political situation could increase the migratory flow through the Darién jungle, as Venezuela is the origin of a large part of the migrants crossing this dangerous route.

The elections in Venezuela are not only crucial for the future of the country, but also have a significant impact on the region and global attention is focused on them.