The News
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is losing the support of friendly regional leaders as mounting evidence suggests he lost last month’s election. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on Thursday said he doesn’t recognize Maduro as the victor and called for an election redo to address the “deteriorating” political situation, and Colombian President Gustavo Petro also called for new elections.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden, who opposed Maduro’s victory claims, appeared to walk back his support of holding fresh elections. Venezuela’s military could play a role in challenging Maduro, but its reorganization after a failed 2002 coup has made that more difficult, the Financial Times wrote. Maduro is pressuring military leaders, one US official said, and “it’s too early to say on which side they will come down.”