- Title: Venezuela's Capriles calls for opposition to join regional vote
- Date: 11th August 2021
- Summary: CARACAS, VENEZUELA (AUGUST 11, 2021) (REUTERS) OPPOSITION FIGURE, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE, TAKING A SEAT CAPRILES AND MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF CAPRILES DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION FIGURE, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, SAYING: "I think you've got to vote, that's what I think and I think people need to be motivated, to mobilise people. I think you need to get out and be the voice of the people. There are people who could disagree with me, they have their right, because in the end it is everyone's vote and every person decides on who to vote for and what they want to do. But I will make use of my vote and I invite people to express themselves, to make use of this weapon. Don't gift it to the regime (reference to President Nicolas Maduro's government)." VARIOUS OF CAPRILES DURING NEWS CONFERENCE PEOPLE FILMING CAPRILES ON MOBILE PHONES (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION FIGURE, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, SAYING: "What are we going to do? The Mexican process (reference to opposition talks with Maduro government) is not just concerning the electoral process, they complement each other. I believe that we, we the opposition have to regain strength, to regain power. We were a strong, robust option of power that brought hope to people that is not there today. That does not mean it can't be recovered. Of course it can be. Politics is moving, politics is not linear." VARIOUS OF MEDIA DURING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION FIGURE, HENRIQUE CAPRILES, SAYING: "It is all for an agreement that allows for Venezuelans to find a solution to their problems. I agree with that and that is the aspiration with Mexico (talks between opposition and Maduro government)." CAPRILES PUTTING ON FACE MASK AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE
- Embargoed: 25th August 2021 21:21
- Keywords: Henrique Capriles Venezuela regional elections
- Location: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- City: CARACAS, VENEZUELA
- Country: Venezuela
- Topics: South America / Central America,Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
- Reuters ID: LVA001EPU3RK7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Venezuelan two-time presidential candidate Henrique Capriles on Wednesday (August 11) urged the country's opposition to participate in elections for governors and mayors in November, following boycotts of two major elections in the last three years.
Adversaries of President Nicolas Maduro sat out the 2018 vote that led to his disputed re-election and the 2020 congressional vote, on the grounds that the elections were rigged in favour of the ruling Socialist Party.
Capriles said the opposition, which as a group has not yet said if it will participate in the vote, now faces a different set of circumstances, including a recently named elections council that includes opposition-leaning directors.
Opposition leader Juan Guaido has been in talks with other political leaders regarding whether they should field candidates in the election and under what conditions they could do so.
Guaido in 2019 was recognised by the United States and dozens of other countries as Venezuela's legitimate president as part of a U.S.-backed effort to force Maduro's ouster. But Maduro has hung on despite U.S. sanctions and an economic collapse.
Some parts of the opposition, including Capriles and his allies, have moved toward accepting that Maduro will remain in power in the short term and that the opposition should seek regional posts rather than only focusing on the presidency.
A delegation of opposition leaders on Friday (August 13) is slated to begin talks with Maduro allies in Mexico that are expected to include discussion of electoral conditions.
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