Celso Amorim says Maduro and opposition should not fear a new election

247 - The special advisor to President Lula for international affairs, Celso Amorim, stated on Tuesday (13) that, given the electoral impasse in Venezuela, both parties claiming victory should not fear a new round of elections.

The presidential election in Venezuela was held on July 28, with the National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaiming Nicolas Maduro as the winner. The next day, protests broke out in the country by those who disagreed with the election results. Opponent Edmundo Gonzalez proclaimed himself president with the support of Washington, which called on the global community to recognize the former diplomat as the winner of the presidential election "given the clear evidence." The Supreme Court of Venezuela has yet to release the results of its investigation into the materials presented by the CNE and opposing blocs. Gonzalez missed the Supreme Court hearing, while Maduro appeared confident that the Venezuelan court's analysis would confirm his victory.

"If both sides believe they have won, no one has anything to fear," Amorim told journalist Raquel Landim of UOL, citing a possible agreement that would also involve the removal of Western sanctions against Venezuela.

Earlier, the newspaper Valor Econômico reported that Amorim said the idea is "embryonic."

Brazil has expressed that it will not recognize Maduro's victory without the complete release of disaggregated records and validation of the results, something the CNE has not yet done. Authorities' concerns over the escalation of violence and the threat of further political arrests have increased, and widely recognized new elections could pave the way for the country's pacification.