UNITED NATIONS, Jan 7 (NNN-Xinhua) — United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is following with concern the events surrounding the election of the president of Venezuela’s National Assembly, his spokesman said.
“The secretary-general calls on all actors to take immediate steps to lower tensions and to work towards a peaceful and sustainable solution to the political crisis,” said Stephane Dujarric, the spokesman, in statement.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Sunday recognized the newly elected board of directors of the National Assembly and president of the legislative body, Luis Parra.
Parra’s election is a blow to opposition leader and self-proclaimed interim president of Venezuela Juan Guaido, who was hoping to be reelected head of the National Assembly, which began its 2020-2021 legislative period on Sunday.
In CARACAS, Parra, said that his election was constitutional.
At a press conference at National Assembly headquarters, Parra said that the process of opening a new parliamentary session was carried out with a “regulatory quorum” on Sunday. New members of the body’s Board of Directors were elected during the session as well.
He said on Sunday that “situations that tried to tarnish the election of our Board of Directors” arose, emphasizing the entire process was constitutional.
Parra pointed out his predecessor, opposition member Juan Guaido, should already have opened the session.
“Here in this legislative palace, this temple of laws, is the only place where the National Assembly’s Board of Directors can be chosen,” Parra said.
Parra promised that an ordinary session of the National Assembly would convene on Tuesday. — NNN-XINHUA
