In a telephone interview with Venezolana de Television’s Al Aire program, Martinez said yesterday’s act, in which eight of the 10 candidates signed the document, demonstrated that ‘we believe in the electoral process as a guarantee of peace’.

He ruled out any foreign interference in the 28 July presidential elections and praised the Venezuelan people’s ability to solve the ballot through democratic means.

We have confidence in the CNE’s ability to ‘carry out a process that satisfies us all’, he reaffirmed.

On the absence of two of the candidates from the signing of the document, ‘it may be seen in a misleading way by many, but in any case it should not have any influence on the credibility of the process’, he stressed.

For this reason, he said, everyone is responsible for their own actions, ‘but they cannot drag the rest’ of the candidates down.

Speaking to the press yesterday after signing the document, Martinez called on all Venezuelans to actively participate in the presidential elections in order to guarantee a transparent and credible process.

He expressed that we have to make a great effort so that on July 28th at the ballot box the will of the people is expressed, and emphasised that he signed the text ‘under the conviction that the electoral process will be exemplary’. The new proposal emphasizes respect for the Electoral Power as the governing body of the electoral process, a commitment to peace, respect for national sovereignty and non-interference by states, and compliance with laws and constitutional provisions.

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