Venezuela’s elections a ‘step toward dictatorship,’ Nikki Haley says
NEW YORK — U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley joined a growing chorus of officials from countries around the world who are vowing to not recognize Venezuela’s elections held Sunday.
The former South Carolina governor called a “sham” the elections that clear the path for an all-powerful constitutional assembly that Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s opponents fear he'll use to replace the country’s democracy with a single-party authoritarian system.
“Maduro’s sham election is another step toward dictatorship,” said Haley in a tweet. “We won't accept an (illegitimate government). The Venezuelan (people and) democracy will prevail.”
Maduro’s sham election is another step toward dictatorship. We won't accept an illegit govt. The Venezuelan ppl & democracy will prevail.
— Nikki Haley (@nikkihaley) July 30, 2017
Hours after Haley sent out the tweet, the U.S. State Department officially condemned Venezuela’s government for holding the vote for the new assembly, calling it a step toward authoritarian rule. In a statement released Sunday, the State Department said the new body seems designed to “undermine the Venezuelan people's right to self-determination.”
Several nations including Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Spain and said they would not recognize Sunday's vote. On Monday, European Union officials began working on a "joint response" to Venezuelan developments from the 28-nation bloc. But Maduro said he had received congratulations from the governments of Cuba, Bolivia and Nicaragua, among others.
Venezuelan electoral authorities said more than 8 million people voted in favor of the constitutional assembly, endowing Maduro's ruling socialist party with virtually unlimited powers.
“The people have delivered the constitutional assembly,” Maduro said on national television. “More than 8 million in the middle of threats ... it's when imperialism challenges us that we prove ourselves worthy of the blood of the liberators that runs through the veins of men, women, children and young people.”
Maduro made clear in a televised address Saturday that he intends to use the assembly not just to rewrite the country's charter but to govern without limitation. Describing the vote as "the election of a power that's above and beyond every other," Maduro said he wants the assembly to strip opposition lawmakers and governors of constitutional immunity from prosecution — one of the few remaining checks on ruling party power.
Sunday was not the first time Haley voiced criticism against Venezuela’s leadership. In June, she highlighted the South American country’s human rights violations during a meeting in Geneva with the Human Rights Council.
“The Venezuelan government is in the midst of destroying human rights and democracy in Venezuela,” said Haley in June. “It is conducting a campaign of violence and intimidation against unarmed demonstrators, businesses, civil society, and freely elected political opposition.”
Haley added at the time that the vote for the constitutional assembly ultimately held Sunday was an effort by the government to “change the rules of the game to maintain its power, privileges, and protections.”
This story was originally published July 31, 2017 at 8:08 AM.