Maduro Threatens to keep Control of the Parliament if he loses December 6 Elections

In one of his shameful television transmissions addressing the Nation this past Thursday, Nicolas Maduro threatened the Opposition and the Venezuelan people that “if, hypothetically, the opposition wins parliamentary elections on December 6,  he would “not give the revolution away” and would continue governing with the "people" and a "civic-military" government. Maduro said that if the Opposition wins, Venezuela would be in one of the “murkiest” stages of its political life and he would defend the revolution in moving it to a new “phase.” In other words, he will continue his dictatorial regime, holding the National Assembly hostage while disregarding the will of the Venezuelan people.

 

Maduro’s reaction came after the recent survey from Datacorp which indicated that the opposition would get 56% of the December votes and Chavism 39 %.  82% of Venezuelans considered Maduro’s management bad and negative. Back in June a survey done by the same company indicated 70%. Clearly a strong  anti-Maduro sentiment is growing in the country.

In addition to these bleak polling results, Maduro's popularity fell to 24.3 percent due to the highest inflation ever seen, shortages of food and above all the uncontrolled delinquency that has placed Venezuela as one of the most dangerous countries in the world.

In addition to the country’s discontent, recent events are piling up over Maduro’s

way of running the country and his dictatorial tactics.  This is the case of prosecutor Franklin Nieves, one of the Leopoldo Lopez prosecutors. Nieves who escaped Venezuela and is now in Miami seeking asylum, said that he had orders "from the number one (Nicolas Maduro)” to develop arrest warrants against the leader of VP (Voluntad Popular) Leopoldo Lopez.  According to Nieves, he lied to the Venezuelan people and to the world when he presented the case of Leopoldo Lopez, accusing him of inciting violence.  Nieves calls Leopoldo Lopez the political prisoner of Maduro’s. his past September. Leopoldo Lopez was convicted to 14 years in prison for “inciting violence” against the regime

Counselor of the U.S. State Department, Thomas Shannon, has threatened Venezuela with additional sanctions if Maduro engages in such undemocratic tactics. Shannon described as crucial that “citizens are able to freely choose their leaders in the legislative elections scheduled for December 6. “

I strongly believe that Maduro should be removed from office before Venezuelan engages in an implosion and more lives continue to be lost as a result of political civil. The OAS and the UN have a responsibility with the Venezuelan people and with the democracy in the region in order to avoid another Syria.