Ramón Guillermo Aveledo: 'For elections to happen, transition must begin'

For elections to take place in Venezuela, a transition process must first begin, according to lawyer and university professor Ramón Guillermo Aveledo. In an interview on the program "Abriendo Puertas," Aveledo outlined the conditions necessary for Venezuelans to participate in credible elections.

“

For there to be a transition, there must be elections, but for there to be elections, the transition must begin. That is a process. We need elections, yes, but elections that are credible, within the country and outside the country.

"For there to be a transition, there must be elections, but for there to be elections, the transition must begin. That is a process. We need elections, yes, but elections that are credible, within the country and outside the country," Aveledo stated. He stressed that several steps are required, including institutional reforms.

“

Institutional reforms, but for these things to happen, politics must act. Politics is not the art of the possible, it is the art of making possible that which is necessary.

Aveledo asserted that political actors must drive these changes. "Institutional reforms, but for these things to happen, politics must act. Politics is not the art of the possible, it is the art of making possible that which is necessary," he said. He placed the responsibility on both government and opposition leaders to find solutions to the obstacles preventing a transition.

“

It seems to me that it is very important, very important, what can happen, and it is so necessary that it happens well.

Additionally, Aveledo addressed the critical process of renewing the magistrates of the Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ). He described the renewal as "very important, very important" and stressed the necessity for it to be conducted properly. He highlighted the importance of public trust in the justice system, noting that the constitution mandates judges be appointed through competitive examinations, a process that has been neglected for a long time, leading to a large number of provisional judges.

“

The Constitution says that judges must be appointed or promoted by competitive examination. That has not happened. For a long time, competitive examinations have stopped happening. We have a huge number of provisional judges (...) which affects the credibility of justice for everyone.