UN panel criticizes Venezuela elections

A UN panel of election experts said in a new report that Venezuela’s national electoral authority failed to comply with basic “transparency and integrity measures that are essential for the conduct of credible elections.” The report was initially not to be made public and adds to independent assessments that discredit Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s claim that he was re-elected in July’s election.Washington Post, The country)

Venezuela’s military leadership has closed ranks with Maduro after the controversial election, aligning their interests with those of the government, complicating hopes for a split, reports The country.

“Maduro’s refusal to step down – despite the growing international consensus that the recent election was stolen – raises a complex and troubling question for a country already reeling from one of the worst peacetime economic and humanitarian collapses in modern history: what next?” the Guardian reports.

The Venezuelan election crisis has created a historic moment of opportunity for diplomatic efforts led by Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, writes David Smilde in Tree. “The three presidents must make it clear to the Maduro government that its legitimacy is at an all-time low and that continuing to deny the election results will only deepen the crisis of governance and diplomatic isolation. The government must negotiate a way forward with the opposition and seize the opportunity offered by the various actors willing to facilitate a solution.”

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s top diplomatic adviser, Celso Amorim, has proposed new elections in Venezuela as a way out of the current impasse, reports The country.O Globe)

Yesterday, Venezuela’s government-controlled National Assembly began considering a package of laws that would tighten regulations on the registration and financing of nongovernmental organizations. Other measures aim to increase government oversight of social media and punish “fascism,” reports AFP.

The government is also considering banning international election monitoring, it said. The country.