Contact Group On Venezuela To Fail Because Maduro Does Not Want Free Vote - Guaido Rep.

The International Contact Group (ICG) will fail given Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will not agree to hold elections, the opposition leader's representative to the Organization of American States (GAO) Gustavo Tarre told Sputnik on Monday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 12th February, 2019) The International Contact Group (ICG) will fail given Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will not agree to hold elections, the opposition leader's representative to the Organization of American States (GAO) Gustavo Tarre told Sputnik on Monday.

"There was no result of that meeting in Montevideo. Several countries who were there didn't sign the document and there was no agreement about what to do," Tarre said. "We were sure that that was going to happen because Maduro doesn't want free elections. Therefore it is impossible for any mediation from any mediator to get free elections. It's not going to happen with Maduro in Mira Flores."

Portuguese Foreign Minister Augusto Santos Silva told Sputnik last week that members of the International Contact Group (ICG) on Venezuela, who gathered in Uruguay for their first meeting, agreed on the need for a new presidential election conducted via a credible electoral process.

"This is going to work in the moment when Maduro says I agree to do presidential elections. He has never said that," Tarre said.

"Therefore this mechanism is not going to work. But the first condition is that Maduro accepts a free election."

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said the ICG aimed to assist in facilitating the conditions to hold elections in the country in line with its constitution, and will send a technical mission to Venezuela to implement its goals.

On January 23, Juan Guaido, the head of the Venezuelan opposition-led National Assembly, proclaimed himself the country's interim president and was immediately recognized by the United States, Canada and other US allies. Russia, Mexico, China, Turkey, Uruguay and several other countries came forward to reaffirm their support for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro as the country's only legitimate democratically elected head of state.

In late January, the European Union announced establishment of the ICG, comprised of representatives from France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom along with Bolivia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Uruguay.