Venezuelan Opposition Leader Urges Military to Back Election Boycott

Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guaido is urging military leaders to support a boycott of the country’s December 6 legislative elections.

In an address Monday on social media, Guaido said he values each sector of society and invited the Armed Forces to a “unity pact” of opposition forces to block the upcoming poll and escalate international pressure on President Nicolas Maduro.

He said his team is willing to sit down once again with those who are needed to achieve a transition.

Since Guaido declared himself interim president last year, accusing Maduro of rigging the vote to win the 2018 election, he has been unable to muster enough support inside the country to remove the president from office.

Additionally, some well-known opposition figures, including Henrique Capriles, a two-time presidential candidate, have rejected Guadio's boycott of the December election.

So far, international sanctions against Maduro’s government, including U.S. sanctions against 150 Venezuelans or persons linked to Venezuela, have not produced any discernible impact on the socialist leader's standing.