Since Venezuela's disputed presidential election nine days ago, diplomatic efforts have been underway to find a solution to the country's political crisis. Senior officials from Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico have been engaging in discussions with representatives from both President Nicolás Maduro's government and opposition candidate Edmundo González.

Although the three nations have current leftist presidents who are allies of Maduro, they have taken a more neutral stance by neither rejecting nor applauding the electoral authorities' declaration of Maduro as the winner. The officials have been recommending that both the government and the opposition abide by Venezuelan laws and follow the appropriate legal processes to appeal any concerns related to the election.

However, this recommendation proves challenging for the opposition as Venezuela's ruling party exerts control over all aspects of the government, including the justice system, making it difficult for opposition voices to be heard or considered. The Mexican official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, revealed that the discussions have been held with both anonymity and confidentiality.

The three countries have jointly called on Venezuela's electoral body to release tens of thousands of vote tally sheets, which are considered crucial evidence for verifying the final results. Presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, and Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador of Mexico emphasized the importance of upholding the fundamental principle of popular sovereignty through an impartial verification process in a joint statement.

While no in-person meeting with Maduro has been ruled out, the main focus of the discussions is to encourage transparency and a fair examination of the election results. It is yet to be confirmed whether González's team is willing to formally appeal the results.

The controversial election saw millions of Venezuelans heading to the polls on July 28, with Maduro and his ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela facing one of their toughest electoral challenges in decades. However, the National Electoral Council proclaimed Maduro the winner without providing detailed figures.

Shortly after the results were announced, protests erupted across the country, with Venezuelans expressing their dissatisfaction and claiming electoral manipulation. The opposition leaders, González and Maria Corina Machado, revealed that they had obtained more than 80% of the vote tally sheets from every electronic voting machine, suggesting a clear victory for the opposition.

In response to these claims, Maduro requested an audit of the election from Venezuela's Supreme Tribunal of Justice. However, this move was met with skepticism, as foreign observers believe the court lacks the necessary independence to conduct an impartial review.

As diplomatic discussions continue, the international community looks on with concern, urging a peaceful resolution to Venezuela's political crisis. The outcome of these discussions may play a pivotal role in the country's future political landscape.