MEXICO CITY (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 14th April, 2021) Ecuador's President-Elect Guillermo Lasso on Tuesday called on the international community to increase pressure on the Venezuelan government to guarantee "real democracy" in the country.
"I believe that we should insist on dialogue and diplomacy, but the international community should think of stronger pressure mechanisms to guarantee real democracy in Venezuela," Lasso said in an interview with Colombian radio station FM.
Earlier, Lasso told reporters that governments have to deal with those who hold the real power in Venezuela, but noted that he would invite Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido, not President Nicolas Maduro, to his inauguration ceremony.
During the radio interview, Lasso also confirmed that he had received an invitation from President Ivan Duque to visit Colombia, and stressed that Ecuador's new government will provide full support to the country's efforts in preserving democracy and fighting crime.
The second round of the presidential election took place in Ecuador on Sunday. With over 90 percent of the votes counted, Lasso was ahead with 52.76 percent, while his main rival, leftist candidate Andres Arauz, had 47.24 percent of the ballots.
