Eric Farnsworth on CNN International about Venezuela's Election Results

Isa Soares of CNN International interviewed AS/COA's Vice President Eric Farnsworth regarding Venezuela's elections and the competing claims of victory from Nicolás Maduro and the opposition.

Farnsworth started the interview by highlighting that the results of this election were something that he expected given that the "groundwork" for a stolen election began to be laid out months ago by Maduro's regime. "Nicolás Maduro is moving quickly to consolidate now his claim for another presidential term."

In terms of how the international community has reacted to the results, the expert says that there are some countries which are explicitly asking where these results came from when "all of the independent and credible pre-election polling indicated that Edmundo González would win in a cakewalk." However, he noted that "this is not something where the international community is completely unified. And in fact, that's part of the outcome that we expected as well."

"Regional leaders, in my view, need to stand up and do more to really insist that democracy be returned to Venezuela," said Farnsworth. 

Venezuelans are now confronted with the question of how to respond to these results. "The government is the ones with the weapons, but will they go to the streets? Will they protest? Or, will they choose to flee? And I think what we're going to see now is the potential for yet another wave of migration coming out of Venezuela."

Finally, Farnsworth argues that this is a "regional issue" that should be watched closely by the United States and other countries in the region.

Watch the full interview.