Maduro says opposition candidates plan a coup at “any moment”

The president of Venezuela and candidate for re-election, Nicolas Maduroaccused the two opposition candidates who did not sign an agreement to recognize the result of the July 28 elections – Edmundo González and Enrique Márquez – of planning a coup d’état for “any moment.”

Maduro assured that he has evidence in this regard, however, he did not show it or provide details on the matter.

“Why did they register for the elections? They signed up to try to embarrass the country, to harm Venezuela again and, they believe, attempt a coup d’état at any moment; “I have proof, I know what I am saying,” said the head of state at a political event.

According to the president, González Urrutia, coalition candidate Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), and Márquez are “puppets of the oligarchy”, they intend to “scream fraud” and generate “violence and a coup d’état”, statements to which Maduro frequently resorts.

In this sense, he asked his followers for “nerves of steel” and “maximum unity and mobilization” in the face of “any circumstance,” so that “peace can be won in every street, in every community and in every municipality.”

He recalled that he – the promoter of said agreement – ​​did sign because he wants “peace and the best for Venezuela” and because he is sure that he will “win by beating, by knockout” in the elections.

The document, signed by 8 of the 10 candidates, commits the signatories to maintaining a “climate of respect, peace and democratic participation”so that, on election day and the days that follow, the will of the people is not interfered with or ignored with acts of violence and destabilization.

This Friday, Márquez called the agreement “useless,” since its content is “redundant” and “incomplete,” in addition to being “unilateral,” having “not been able to give an opinion and discuss its content.”

For his part, González said that he was not invited to sign the agreement, which he had previously rejected, arguing that the recognition of the results is already contemplated in the Barbados Agreementsigned between the PUD and the Government in October.