Venezuela presidential elections set for April 22

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Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro vowed Thursday that his government was ready to receive international observers to oversee presidential elections on April 22.

Maduro wrote on Twitter that "Venezuela is open to giving the necessary guarantees and to receive all the international observers who want to come."

"More than inspecting, they can learn the impeccable electoral system we have built," he said.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a public appearance in Caracas Jan 23, 2018. /AFP Photo

Maduro recalled several points made during talks with the opposition Democratic Unity Roundtable in the Dominican Republic, although the opposition ultimately refused to sign a deal.

Opposition leaders are currently discussing whether they will participate in the controversial vote. The leaders many see as Maduro's main opponents – Henrique Capriles and Leopoldo Lopez – are both disqualified from running.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) has established a timeline of technical processes ahead of the election, which will govern new inscriptions onto electoral rolls, candidacy applications, and precise dates for the campaign.

The Venezuelan government has been the subject of increased pressure and sanctions from abroad, including the US and the EU, for allegations of electoral fraud, corruption and causing widespread poverty.

President Juan Manuel Santos of neighboring Colombia has vowed to not recognize the elections, saying this week that "the elections are completely invalid because voters have no guarantees."

Source(s): Xinhua News Agency