US's Blinken calls on Venezuela parties to 'respect democratic process' in vote July 27, 2024 at 11:49PM

Ahead of the Venezuelan election, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged all parties to respect the democratic process. Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro faces strong opposition from Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia. Tensions are high, as Maduro threatened violence if he loses. The US stressed that any lifting of sanctions depends on the fairness of the vote.