The opposition National Assembly of 2015 approved in the first discussion the “continuity” of Parliament and of the “Presidency in Charge“of Juan Guaidó, to continue defending Venezuelans, and fight together with the democratic world for freedom and the recovery of democracy in Venezuela.
“Nicolás Maduro has an expiration date, since 2018 he owes us a presidential election and my Constitutional duty as president in charge is to fight for a free presidential election, “Guaidó emphasized after the debate held in an extraordinary session of the Delegate Commission of the National Assembly.
In addition, he affirmed that: “We have assumed the risk because we are not going to leave the Venezuelans alone who have resisted time and time again.”
“Thanks to the deputies who protect and defend the Constitution“, he said.
Henrique Capriles Radonski, one of the opponents critical of Guaidó. AFP photo
critics
The approval of the reform of the Statute that governs the transition to democracy and gives one more year to the interim office occurred at a time when Guaidó’s administration has been criticized by various sectors, especially by the Primero Justicia party, led by the two-time former presidential candidate Henrique Capriles.
It is the first internal crisis that Guaido faces due to the stagnation of his administration. His own comrades in the democratic struggle they ask for his resignation but they do not propose another leadership and alternatives that will take the opposition out of the quagmire in which it finds itself.
Guaido is the only Venezuelan leader who has the international backing of fifty countries. And internally, it has the support of a broad non-partisan social front. His end-of-the-year message is full of hope for change.
“Here is the National Assembly debating, settling their differences, but above all politically agreeing on something that is constitutional, which is that Parliament will continue, that it will continue to support Article 233, dialogue with the world and the strengthening of this Assembly, “said Guaidó.
In this sense, he warned that “we cannot weaken let alone go against the Constitution, “and he explained that the purpose of the debate” is to tell Nicolás Maduro that they failed to weaken Parliament. “
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Photo Xinhua
“It is time to correct mistakes, strengthen democratic unity, strengthen deputies, and protect them from the threat of the dictatorship,” he said.
In turn, the deputy Alfonso Marquina stressed that neither a presidential nor a parliamentary election has been held that they comply with “the minimum standards required by the Constitution and the international community itself.”
The future
In addition, he indicated that 2 years have passed where “unfortunately the objectives of the people of achieving free and fair presidential elections have not been achieved,” so “reform was proposed” to the aforementioned Law.
“The intention is to give one more year of extension to the exercise of the National Assembly elected in 2015 and to keep the president of the same, Juan Guaidó, in his capacity as manager, not only to represent, defend and protect the republic, but also to maintain that international recognition that up to now 62 countries have towards Venezuela and this parliament, “he said.
Likewise, Deputy Delsa Solórzano affirmed that “constitutional continuity” does not depend “on the political expediency of the whim or the particular decision of anyone, but on the Constitution in its article 233.”
“The continuity that today is being formally declared with the Reform of the Transitional Statute Law is constitutional and mandatory,” he stressed.
Since January 2019 in his capacity as President of Parliament, Guaidó was awarded the powers of the Executive as president in charge of interpreting various articles of the Constitution after declaring the 2018 elections unconstitutional and fraudulent in which Maduro obtained re-election for another 6-year period.
The opposition leader’s decision was backed by several countries of the international community, led by the United States and the European Union, and that support that is currently maintained is translated into isolation and sanctions for Maduro as well as for more than a dozen of his main collaborators.
On the other hand, the deputies also approved in the first discussion the project of partial reform of the Law of the Fund for the Liberation of Venezuela that gives financial support to the interim. The second discussion of both reforms is scheduled to take place this Thursday 30.
Source ANSA and Clarín
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