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Venezuela called Sunday for progressive movements and governments to rally in solidarity with the Bolivarian revolution, ahead of the widely anticipated election next week.
“From the land of Bolivar and Chavez, we call on solidarity movements to remain alert and in active solidarity,” Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez stated.
Rodriguez accused the U.S. government of backing a campaign aimed at undermining Venezuela's democracy, and legitimizing the upcoming vote.
“The United States has deployed a diplomatic lobby to refuse to recognize the elections in Venezuela,” Rodriguez said.
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She continued by accusing the U.S. government and international media of seeking to “legitimize” possible post-election violence by spreading propaganda in favor of Venezuela's far right.
“The (Venezuelan) extreme right is being aided by governments in the service of imperialist interests, and (their propaganda) is being spread by international media companies,” she added.
The warning came a week ahead of Venezuela's December 6 national assembly election. The ruling socialist party, the PSUV, has vowed to continue its progressive social and economic policies if it maintains a majority in the assembly. The right-wing opposition says it will seek to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
The election is expected to be one of the tightest in years, and the government has repeatedly expressed concern the opposition could resort to violence if they lose.
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Anti-government demonstrations turned violent in 2013 after Maduro was elected in a close vote. In early 2014, far right groups staged another campaign of street violence, calling for Maduro to resign.
The lead up to the December 6 elections has already been marred by the suspected gang assassination of an opposition figure, who authorities believe may have become entangled in a local criminal organization.
Concerns of U.S. interference in Venezuela's domestic affairs were also sparked earlier this month, after revelations Washington's embassy in Caracas was used by U.S. intelligence agents to spy on state oil firm PDVSA. The revelations were uncovered during a joint investigation by teleSUR and The Intercept.
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The United States has responded by claiming the espionage against Venezuela's largest company wasn't intended as malicious, though Washington has repeatedly been accused of seeking to overthrow the Venezuelan government. In 2002, the United States backed a right-wing coup that temporarily ousted Maduro's predecessor, the late Hugo Chavez.
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