Panama called on Monday for a «limited interim» in Venezuela to allow Edmundo González Urrutia to assume the presidency. The proposal was made by Panama's ambassador to the UN, Eloy Alfaro, during a special session of the UN Security Council on the situation in Venezuela following the capture and extraction of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, over narcoterrorism charges.
The Venezuelan government is now in the hands of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, appointed by the Supreme Court as acting president. The government of Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino will not recognize «any authority other than the elected president» González Urrutia, as this «would be equivalent to legitimizing electoral fraud, normalizing authoritarianism, and undermining the universal principle of free elections as a source of legitimacy».
«The elected government has the teams and programs ready to be implemented immediately to ensure an orderly transition that guarantees the rule of law, respect for human rights, and confidence,» Alfaro asserted. He added that «any attempt to establish a permanent government headed by figures from the repressive apparatus, such as Delcy Rodríguez, would constitute a continuation of the system and not a genuine transition».
«All political solutions must be peaceful, democratic, and led by Venezuelans with the responsible accompaniment of the international community, including the United Nations and regional mechanisms such as the Organization of American States,» Alfaro added. Panama also demanded «the unconditional release of all political prisoners that the regime is holding, Venezuelans and foreigners... Their integrity and safety must be guaranteed.»
