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Venezuelan presidential candidate Javier Bertucci called for an end to international "sanctions against the country" and branded members of Venezuelan Opposition, who have called on foreign governments to intervene in the country's elections, as "irresponsible" as he closed his campaign in the state of Carabobo Wednesday.
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The candidate, who is currently running third behind incumbent Nicolas Maduro and leading opposition candidate Henri Falcon, also harshly criticized the political actors who have called for further sanctions against the South American country.
“How can they ask for sanctions against the country. Oh, it is easy. They are abroad eating well, sleeping well, living in luxurious homes," Bertucci told local media. "Asking for the United States government to tighten sanctions, and to tighten the noose on the Venezuelan people. I think that is irresponsible. That’s not what we need.”
One of the 49-year-old evangelical pastor’s main selling points during his campaign has been that he has never held political office, he has also defied calls by the Democratic Unity Roundtable (MUD) to boycott the elections. This move he says has allowed him to gain significant among the population, which he has called on to participate in Sunday’s elections.
"We need to vote this May 20 and decide the change we want for the country," the Hope for Change candidate said.
In his final speech, Bertucci said if elected he would work to promote “the reconciliation of all Venezuelans,” and reiterated he has already established conversations with North American and European potential partners.
Recent attempts to have Bertucci and Falcon unify their platforms have failed with both stating their belief that they have a good chance of unseating Maduro.
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