Organization of American States (OAS) President Luis Almagro on Saturday offered to resign if Venezuela holds free elections and enacts reforms to protect democracy in the troubled nation.
“I will resign from the Organization of American States the day that free, fair and transparent national elections are held without impediments,” Almagro said in a video message on Twitter. “I offer my position in exchange for freedom in Venezuela.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday said that if Almagro, an outspoken critic of his government, resigned, he would consider reversing a decision to withdraw Venezuela from the OAS.
At its annual general assembly in Mexico this week, the OAS failed to reach consensus on a resolution about Venezuela, where 75 people have died in three months of protests.
Nations in the region have lambasted Maduro, but they have no evident means of forcing a political transition.
Despite low approval ratings and the dire humanitarian situation, Maduro faces few short-term threats to his hold on power.
The next presidential election is not scheduled until late next year, and military officers have until now ignored opposition calls to urge Maduro to resign.
Almagro conditioned his resignation offer on a long list of demands, including the release of political prisoners such as high-profile opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez and a guarantee of supreme court independence.
Maduro offered no immediate response to Almagro’s offer, but he has previously called him “immoral” and considers the regional group a puppet of Washington intent on toppling his government.
Separately on Saturday, security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse demonstrators.
The Venezuelan National Guard said two of its members were wounded in confrontations with the demonstrators at an air base in Caracas near where a 22-year-old protester was shot dead by a military police sergeant on Thursday.
Young protesters broke down a metal fence guarding the base before being repelled by security forces firing tear gas.
Maduro, during a speech to commemorate independence day, again accused the opposition of sowing chaos to lay the groundwork for a coup against him.
“Desperation, hatred and fury thrive among the enemies of the fatherland,” Maduro said, flanked by ministers and military top brass, describing the OAS’ inability to produce a statement on Venezuela as a victory for the nation.
The opposition wants Maduro to bring forward next year’s presidential election, but he has instead called for the election of a constitutional assembly on July 30 to draft a new constitution.
The opposition has said it would boycott the vote, calling it a rigged process to help the unpopular government stay in power.
Additional reporting by AP
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