If he is reasonable, he (Maduro) can turn to the Venezuelan people, maybe even call for new elections, says Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in a radio interview.
The election should, in that case, be organized by an impartial electoral committee and observed by observers from different parts of the world, adds Lula.
The move comes after Lula on Wednesday discussed a possible solution to the crisis in Venezuela with Colombia's President Gustavo Petro.
Petro writes in turn on X that it is up to Nicolás Maduro to pave the way for a political solution that gives "peace and prosperity" to the Venezuelan people.
Unclear yes from Biden
He further calls for "lifting of all sanctions against Venezuela", "general national and international amnesty", the formation of a transitional government – and "new free elections".
From the USA comes somewhat unclear reactions. When Joe Biden on Thursday was asked by a journalist if he supports the calls from Brazil and Colombia for new elections, the President replied yes, reports AFP.
The White House, however, seemed to correct that stance when a spokesperson later stated that Biden had spoken "about the absurdity of Maduro and his representatives not telling the truth about the election on July 28". The spokesperson added that it is "clear" that opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia had won.
Critical UN report
Venezuela's electoral commission, CNE, proclaimed the sitting President Maduro the winner of the election on July 28. According to CNE, he received 52 percent of the votes – but no detailed voting data has been presented since then to prove it.
Maduro's victory has been questioned by the opposition as well as the USA, EU, and several Latin American countries. The situation in the country has been tumultuous since the election, with violent protests claiming 25 lives.
A UN expert panel that observed the election released a critical report on Tuesday. The election lacked "basic transparency and integrity that are crucial for holding credible elections", according to the panel.
