Venezuela's Electoral Process Is Legitimate, Fernandez Says

Argentina’s President Alberto Fernandez Thursday clarified his position regarding Venezuela and recognized the legitimacy of the electoral process for the renewal of the National Assembly to be held on December 6.

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His statements came after international mainstream media announced that he had changed his stance on Venezuela.

This supposed turn would have been exposed by Federico Villegas, Argentina's representative at the United Nations in Geneva, where the diplomat expressed Argentina's concern for the defense of human rights in Venezuela, condemned the U.S. blockade, and defended a political solution to the Venezuelan problems.

"I have always raised the defense of human rights anywhere," Fernandez said on local Radio 750, adding that "I do regret they have biased the statement and confuse some colleagues."

"There is an electoral process underway that must be respected. We have not refused to recognize Venezuela's elected government. That is why we have never recognized [Juan] Guaido. I do not understand this confusion. I do understand, however, that some people want to take advantage of it," Argentina's president said.

"I will not promote a coup against any president. That is why I have always repudiated what happened in Bolivia," he added.

Fernandez also explained that the report on Venezuela, which was prepared by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), addressed three issues: respect for human rights, the U.S. blockade, and the peaceful solution to internal conflicts.

While the people involved in preparing the OHCHR report admitted that they did not visit the area known as "the Mining Arch" in Venezuela, the indirect testimonies of third parties were used as a source to prepare an account of alleged human rights violations.

Previously, Venezuela rejected this UN report because, despite the information provided by President Nicolas Maduro’s administration, UHCHR officials only listened to members of the political opposition to prepare their final document.