Lula says he will recognize Venezuela's election results

On Tuesday (Jul. 30), Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva announced that he will recognize the results of Venezuela's election held on Sunday (28). “I will certainly acknowledge it once the victory is confirmed,” he stated in an interview with TV Centro América.

Lula noted that Venezuelan authorities need to present the election minutes to resolve the impasse between the opposition and the government. “Disputes are normal. How are you going to resolve this dispute? Present the minutes. If the minutes reveal discrepancies between the opposition and the government, the opposition can file an appeal and wait for the courts to handle it. We will then have to follow the court's decision,” the president said.

He described the situation in the neighboring country as normal. “I'm convinced that it’s a standard, orderly process. People who disagree should have the right to express their views and challenge the results, while the government has the right to defend its position,” Lula added.

Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) has yet to release the official minutes to validate the election results, which reportedly gave Maduro a victory with 51.21 percent of the votes compared to 44 percent for Edmundo González, according to CNE.

Part of the opposition, along with some countries and organs like the Organization of American States (OAS), are questioning the fairness of the election and demanding the release of the minutes for a proper audit of the votes. In response, Nicolás Maduro's government accuses certain opposition figures and foreign nations of inciting an alleged coup d'état against the electoral results.

Conversation with Biden

On Tuesday afternoon (30), Lula and US President Joe Biden discussed the situation in Venezuela on the phone following the presidential elections on Sunday (29). Both leaders emphasized the importance of publishing the electoral records.

In a statement, the White House said President Biden thanked Lula for his regional leadership regarding the Venezuela situation. The two leaders also agreed on the urgent need for Venezuelan electoral authorities to release comprehensive, transparent, and detailed electoral data from polling stations.

“The two leaders agreed that the outcome of the Venezuelan elections is a critical moment for democracy in the hemisphere and committed to staying closely coordinated on the issue,” the statement read.