By Sinan Dogan
BOGOTA (AA) - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and French President Emmanuel Macron urged Venezuela's government on Thursday to hold a "fair election" and foster a democratic environment ahead of the presidential election on July 28.
On the last day of his official three-day visit to Brazil, Macron was welcomed with a military ceremony in the gardens of the Planalto Palace by his counterpart Lula da Silva.
After one-on-one and delegation-level meetings, the two leaders made remarks to the press.
Lula da Silva commented on the Venezuelan election debate, emphasizing the importance of inclusive elections, similar to those held in Brazil.
He criticized the National Electoral Council for not approving the election documents of the main Venezuelan opposition candidate, Corina Yoris, saying there is no "political or legal" explanation for this.
He recalled his recent conversation with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, in which he emphasized the importance of restoring normalcy in the country.
"They (the then-government in Brazil) banned me from the elections before 2018, so what did I do? I chose another candidate and we lost the elections, which were part of the democratic process," he explained.
Lula da Silva criticized Venezuela's rejection of Yoris' candidacy, emphasizing the lack of legal or political justification and calling for fair treatment of all.
Macron, for his part, criticized Venezuela's election process, warning that it would undermine democratic assessment of presidential outcomes.
He urged the removal of barriers to opposition candidates, describing their exclusion as worsening the situation.