Election will clean up Venezuela’s mess

Venezuela is slipping into chaos as President Nicolas Maduro called for the popular assembly last week in a fresh attempt to consolidate his hold on the nation. The opposition has refused to help draft a new constitution, calling the process fraudulent. The opposition coalition has accused Maduro of going against the country’s charter as any constitutional change requires the approval of voters. The opposition alliance has warned that if the government “continues with this madness,” Venezuela will be ungovernable.
The Organization of American States (OSA) lambasted Maduro government for worsening situation in the country. It says Maduro has gone too far to bring the country back from the brink. First the Maduro government imprisoned political leaders during anti-government protests in 2014 and later the government tried to sideline the National Assembly following the opposition’s victory in congressional elections in 2015. Now, Maduro calls to rewrite the constitution, which is akin to a coup that will undermine the Venezuelans’ fundamental rights.
US President Donald Trump has offered to work with Peru to improve democratic institutions and help the people of Venezuela. Opposition leader Julio Borges has spoken to US Vice President Mike Pence and met with US National Security Adviser H R McMaster. Both agreed there’s a strong need to bring the crisis to a “quick and peaceful conclusion.”
Venezuela is drowning in an economic, financial, social and humanitarian crisis. Triple-digit inflation and widespread hunger after two decades of socialist rule have led to protests and street battles. More than 30 people have been killed in clashes over the past month. Thousands of people politicians, activists, student leaders have been detained across the country in recent months. They are being tried in secretive military courts in a latest move by government as beleaguered president fights to retain his grip on power in the face of massive street protests. People have been arrested on false charges of “betraying the fatherland” and other treason charges. Civil-rights groups have said that many detainees were sentenced within hours.
The use of military courts is a ploy to circumvent due process. The military procedures are closed to the public and the national government
has released no information about convictions. The number of cases of
civilians put in front of military tribunals for political reasons is surging.
In a bid to tighten his hold on the presidency, Maduro, the late Hugo Chavez’s hand-picked successor, has resorted to annulling legislation passed by lawmakers and delaying local elections. There is very little element of a democracy left in the Latin American nation. He accuses his detractors of treason for allegedly working with the US to try to topple him. But the more Maduro tries to strengthen his position, the more chaos it engenders.
Maduro must change his dictatorial posture and listen to the voice of the people following a month of anti-government protests that has left dozens dead. Venezuela needs democracy not dictatorship. The only
institutional exit for the country is a general election.