Blinken says US will not prejudge Venezuela election outcome

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Washington will not prejudge the results of the presidential elections to be held in Venezuela on Sunday, but called on the parties to respect the democratic process.

Just before voting began in the South American country, Blinken said at a news conference in Tokyo that the United States and the international community would be closely watching the vote.

“The United States will not prejudge the outcome. This is a choice for Venezuelans to make, but the Venezuelan people deserve an election that genuinely reflects their will, free from any manipulation,” Blinken said.

Washington eased sanctions on Venezuela’s oil industry last October in response to a deal between President Nicolas Maduro and opposition parties, but later reinstated the sanctions over actions Washington said threatened an inclusive democratic vote.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a socialist whose 2018 re-election bid was rejected by the United States and most Western governments as a sham, is seeking a third term.

U.S. officials have said they will calibrate their sanctions policy toward Venezuela based on how the election plays out.

Blinken said Maduro had failed to meet many of the commitments he made in that deal, but there was still “enormous enthusiasm” ahead of the election.

“We urge all parties to honor their commitments and respect the democratic process,” Blinken said.

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