Costa Rica condemns fraud in Venezuela

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica has issued the following communique:

Costa Rica condemns and regards the results of the election in Venezuela as vitiated by nullity

Costa Rica reiterates that it disregards the National Constituent Assembly of Venezuela and all the acts originated from it, which include the swearing-in of new governors on Wednesday, October 18, 2017.

Costa Rica further disregards and deems to be irregular, fraudulent and vitiated by nullity the results of the election, with no reliable international supervision, of last Sunday, October 15 in Venezuela.

Our country deplores that Venezuelan Government authorities, and those of the National Election Council (CNE) in particular, have manipulated the election system and its results, carrying out questionable courses of action which seriously compromised the integrity and legitimacy of the process.

Democratic principles and guarantees, a fair, transparent, free process, respectful of the civil and political rights of the courageous Venezuelan people, were, regretfully, not present.

Costa Rica reiterates its urgent call for general, free, universal and clean general elections, led by a reliable election system and with the participation of independent international observers.

The country stands in solidarity with Venezuelans’ aspirations of freedom, democracy and respect of Human Rights and reiterates its firm commitment to accompany in good faith legitimate initiatives for this purpose.