Tillerson to Venezuela's Maduro: Allow democratic elections or step aside

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Friday urged the Venezuelan government to hold open and democratic elections.


Tillerson's visit to Mexico is the first stop of a Latin America tour that also will include visits to Argentina, Colombia, Peru and Jamaica. During a joint news conference with Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray and Canadian Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland in Mexico City, Tillerson called for Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro to allow free democratic elections or step aside.

Tillerson specifically said Maduro needs to dissolve the Constituent Assembly, which was created last year and quickly sacked the country's attorney general, who was a critic of Maduro. The polling company that ran the elections last year to fill the legislative body said the results were likely manipulated.

The Constituent Assembly has the power to supersede the National Assembly, which the U.S. considers to be democratically elected.
  (UPI)
 3/2/18
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