The Chilean foreign minister emphasized that the Venezuelans have the right to decide about their future. He also expressed his conviction that Nicolas Maduro was not the right person to organize elections and hold talks with the opposition. Minister Ampuero Espinoza pointed out that in light of the present situation in Venezuela, the Latin American states were in favour of recognizing the opposition leader and President of the National Assembly of Venezuela Juan Guaidó as an interim president, expecting him to guarantee that free and democratic elections are held in Venezuela.

During the phone call, Minister Jacek Czaputowicz said that Poland shared his Chilean counterpart’s assessment of the developments in Venezuela. The chief of Polish diplomacy told the Chilean foreign minister that in view of Nicolas Maduro’s failure to call early presidential elections, Poland intended, together with the other EU member states, to recognize Juan Guaidó, the President of the democratically elected National Assembly, as Venezuela’s interim president, who will be charged with the task of organizing free, fair and democratic elections.

The phone call was held on the initiative of the Chilean side.

Chile belongs to the so-called Lima Group – a working group established in 2017 by Canada and thirteen Latin American states to find a peaceful solution to the Venezuelan crisis.

 

MFA Press Office

Photo: Tymon Markowski / MSZ