Venezuela’s opposition leader Henrique Capriles will address Colombia’s Congress during a visit to the country on Wednesday, confirmed the president of the House of Representatives.
Capriles, a Venezuelan politician who opposes the leadership of recently-elected Nicolas Maduro, will reportedly meet with House President Augusto Posada, Senate President Roy Barreras and a number of other congressmen.
Posada claimed that his decision to give Capriles center stage is democratic and does not suggest a political interest in opposing the presidency of Maduro.
“[This does not suggest that we agree] with the ideas of Mr Capriles or any other person. If somebody requests a hearing, I will be opening up this space, regardless of that person’s ideology,” Posada told El Tiempo.
According to El Espectador, Posada referred to Colombia as “the second strongest democracy in Latin America,” and it is with this in mind that Capriles is permitted to speak in congress. He added that the same rules apply to all member of the Venezuelan government.
On May, 8, Colombia’s congress facilitated another Venezuelan opposition leader, Maria Corina Machado, who used the opportunity to urge the nation to support democracy in Venezuela.
MORE: ‘Colombia must defend democracy in Venezuela’
Sources
- ‘Si lo pide, Capriles hablará en la plenaria’: Posada (El Tiempo)
- Henrique Capriles hablará en Congreso colombiano (El Espectador)
