In Venezuela, the main opposition parties will boycott the legislative elections

The main opposition parties in Venezuela announced on Sunday that they had agreed to boycott the December 6 legislative elections, which they called " electoral fraud ." " Unanimously, we have decided not to participate in the electoral fraud organized by the regime of (Nicolas) Maduro ", wrote these parties, in a joint declaration signed by 27 organizations.

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The signatories denounce the absence of "an open electoral process, which would guarantee respect for the sovereign will of the people ", and recalled their " support " to the opposition leader Juan Guaido. The National Assembly is currently chaired by Juan Guaido, who considers the presence in power of Nicolas Maduro illegitimate and proclaimed himself in January 2019 interim president of Venezuela.

It is recognized as such by more than fifty countries including the United States, which openly calls for the overthrow of Nicolas Maduro and applies various economic sanctions against Caracas. Nicolas Maduro is supported by Russia, China, Iran and Cuba.

Juan Guaido had previously called for a boycott of the legislative elections, in a message on Twitter. " This new farce is doomed to failure ", he wrote, calling on the opposition to " remain united " to end, with international aid, " the tragedy caused by the dictatorship ". The opposition accuses Mr. Maduro of using " the control he exercises over public power " to prevent " any possibility of organizing a free and open election ".

They thus reject the appointment by the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ), considered as acquired in the power of the socialist president, of Indira Alfonzo - a magistrate sanctioned by Canada - as president of the National Electoral Council, assuming in doing so a prerogative of the National Assembly. The current legislature, which ended fifteen years of Chavist hegemony, will come to an end on January 5, 2021.

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But the opposition's victory in the legislative elections at the end of 2015 remained at the symbolic stage. In the wake of the election, Parliament was declared a " rebellion " by the Supreme Court, overturning all its decisions.