Latin American nations Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Paraguay and Peru have expressed their concern regarding Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) decision on the next signature-collecting stage to proceed with President Nicolas Maduro's referendum.
Said decision establishes a new condition to the already onerous referendum process: a specific method for the second stage, collecting 20% of voters' signatures to oust President Nicolas Maduro.
Required signatures will have to be gathered across all Venezuelan States, which entails delaying the plebiscite until the first quarter of 2017.
However, Venezuela's constitution stipulates deadline for the referendum on January 10, 2017.
Thus, aforementioned nations' Foreign Affairs Ministers issued a joint
statement expressing their disagreement with said announcement made on
September 21.
The high-ranking officials also reasserted their support and readiness to contribute to dialogue between Venezuela's government and the country's political and social stakeholders.
Through mutual understanding, dialogue aims to promote political stability, economic recovery and utmost respect for human rights.
The statement was signed by Peru's Foreign Affairs Minister (Ricardo Luna) and counterparts from Argentina (Susana Malcorra), Mexico (Claudia Ruiz Massieu), Chile (Heraldo Muñoz), Brazil (Jose Serra) and Paraguay (Eladio Loizaga).
(END) NDP/FHG/DHT/MVB