Dear Editor,
Reference is drawn to “Venezuela Election” (July 28). People were voting Sunday July 28 as this article was being penned. No doubt this is the biggest threat and toughest challenge to Maduro’s hold on power. The country desperately wants to vote out the socialist government that has been undergoing the worst economic crisis in its history. The government is very unpopular but it is unlikely the election will be free and fair. Thus, the likelihood of a change in administration is virtually nil. Maduro will hand himself another term of six years and during that time will continue to threaten Guyana’s territory.
The unknown to any overwhelming electoral fraud is the reaction from the OAS, ACS, Mercosur, other South American and Latin American regional bodies, the EU, and the US and Canada. Sanctions are likely if there is widespread fraud. Off course, if President Maduro is defeated, a possibility that is extremely remote, the global community will welcome the change in regime.
The international community is supportive of democracy in Venezuela. Maduro’s allies like Russia, China, Cuba, and Iran are backing him, and by extension, the outcome of an election in which Maduro is declared the winner. Those countries are not known to have democratic credentials and have not been on friendly relations with USA for a long time. Though they have had friendly relations with Guyana, under both the PPP and PNC administrations, they have been on friendlier arrangements with Venezuela than with Guyana over the last decade. They are not exactly Guyana’s friends as they once were, and Guyana would be better off maintaining some distance from them. Although they are allies of Venezuela, they have not rein in Venezuela over its unjustified and illegal claim to Guyana’s territory. Guyana is better off realigning with USA by entering into some kind of security pact or alliance for protection of territory from Venezuela’s threats.
The Guyana government and the opposition, indeed all Guyanese regardless of political persuasion, will welcome democracy in Venezuela, not that a democratic administration will give up its claim to Guyana’s Essequibo territory. A democratic government is more likely to accept a ruling from the ICJ where the border controversy has been lodged for a resolution. Maduro said he will not accept the ICJ’s ruling if it goes in Guyana’s favour. A democratic election and a change in administration in Miraflores will also redound to benefits for Guyana – the 50,000 Venezuelan economic migrants will more than likely return to their country and properties left behind easing the burden on our treasury and the social welfare system.
Guyana should not put high hopes for a change in administration in Caracas. There is not likely to be any seismic shift, meaning political change. The question is what will be the American response to massive rigging and to any violence undertaken by the regime. Guyana must be prepared, for her own interests, to support any action recommended by the OAS (and USA) to protect the will of the voters.
Sincerely,
Vishnu Bisram
