The White House is "very concerned" by the blocking of the candidacy of Corina Yoris, designated to replace opposition leader Marina Corina Machando in the presidential elections in Venezuela.
This was stated by White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.
"We are working with other members of the international community - added the spokeswoman - to ensure that Venezuelans can participate in inclusive and competitive elections and to urge Maduro's representatives to allow all candidates to participate".
"For our part - he continued - we are closely monitoring the situation and we support the will and right of Venezuelans and the political parties of that country to select their presidential candidates".
To a question on the possible use of the sanctions tool against Caracas, Karine Jean-Pierre replied that "as we stated in January, we are committed to maintaining the easing of some sanctions if Maduro respects and maintains the commitments outlined in the electoral roadmap agreed in Barbados" between the ruling Chavismo and the opposition.
Brazil: 'Barbados agreements violated'.
Caracas: 'Pro-American interference'
The government of Brazil is following the electoral process underway in Venezuela "with concern", denouncing that the exclusion of the opposition candidate from the presidential race is not compatible with the Barbados agreements.
"Based on the available information, it is noted that the indicated candidate of the opposition force United Democratic Platform (Pud) - Corina Yoris - has been prevented from registering, which is not compatible with the Barbados agreements. The impediment was not, to date, subject to no official explanation", reads a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
"Brazil - continues the note - is ready together with other members of the international community to cooperate so that the elections announced for 28 July constitute a decisive step towards the normalization of political life and the strengthening of democracy in Venezuela, a neighboring country and friend of Brazil".
In any case, Brasilia reiterates its refusal of any type of sanction which "in addition to being illegal, only contributes to isolating Venezuela and increasing the suffering of its people".
For Venezuela, however, the concern expressed by Brazil about the conflicting electoral process underway in the country is to be considered "interference".
This was reported by the Foreign Ministry of Caracas according to which the note published by Brasilia to stigmatize the exclusion of candidate Corina Yoris from the elections "seems to be dictated by the US State Department, where comments full of ignorance on the political reality of Venezuela are issued".
"The Venezuelan government under no circumstances makes or will make value judgments on the political and judicial processes taking place in Brazil and consequently demands the most rigorous respect for the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and in our democracy", continues the Venezuelan note.
Caracas considers it "surprising" that the Brazilian Foreign Ministry "is not concerned about the attempts to destabilize and assassinate President Nicolás Maduro" which have been frustrated in recent weeks.
'Colombia's position is in bad faith'
Tension is rising between Venezuela and Colombia after the harsh response of Nicolas Maduro's government to the "concerns" expressed by Bogota about the regularity of the electoral process underway in the neighboring country in a climate of great conflict.
“Driven by the need to please the designs of the US State Department, the Colombian Foreign Ministry commits an act of serious interference in matters that concern only Venezuelans,” wrote Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil in an X publication in which , addressing his Colombian counterpart Luis Murillo, stigmatizes the criticism as "an act of bad faith" capable of "undermining the process of normalization of diplomatic, political and commercial relations promoted by our presidents".
Shortly before, the Colombian Foreign Ministry had expressed in a statement its shock at the news of the inability of the opposition united in the Democratic United Platform (Pud) coalition to register its candidate, Corina Yoris, in the next presidential elections, believing that this "it could undermine the trust" of the international community regarding the "transparency and competitiveness of the electoral process" which will culminate with the presidential elections on 28 July.
In the note, Bogotà reiterated "the need for a free, fair and competitive presidential electoral process, in which citizen participation is promoted through voting as a mechanism of democratic expression", also in compliance with the provisions of the Barbados agreement, for the which Colombia played the role of observer and companion.
Buenos Aires protests, 'Power cut to our embassy'
The government of Argentine President Javier Milei has denounced that the Venezuelan authorities have cut off the electricity to its embassy in Caracas, where six opposition political leaders have taken refuge shortly before the end of the deadline for submitting candidacies for the presidential elections and next July 28th.
The office of the presidency, in a statement, expressed the "concern" of Buenos Aires for "the incident that occurred yesterday, namely the interruption of the electricity supply in the official residence in Caracas, and warns the government of Venezuela to bring about end any deliberate action that endangers the safety of Argentine diplomatic personnel and Venezuelan citizens who are protected in the headquarters"
The refugees in the diplomatic mission are Pedro Urruchurtu, Magallí Meda, Humberto Villalobos, Claudia Macero, Omar González and a sixth political leader, whose name has not been released.
They all belong to the opposition coalition Democratic United Platform (Pud), of Maria Corina Machado, designated by a large majority as presidential candidate but excluded from the race due to a legal ban which she herself denounces as abusive.
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