President Joe Biden, alongside the leaders of Brazil and Colombia, has joined in the call for new elections in Venezuela. This comes in response to widespread allegations of rigging in favor of the incumbent president. During a press conference, when asked about his stance on the matter, President Biden affirmed his agreement with the Latin American leaders.

U.S. officials have previously stated that available data strongly suggests that opposition candidate Edmundo González emerged victorious over Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. In a short statement made on Thursday, President Biden's position aligned closely with Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombian President Gustavo Petro. These regional leaders are considered crucial in the effort to persuade Maduro to accept the election results that indicate his defeat.

While the U.S. and its Latin American allies are advocating for new elections, other countries in the region, notably Argentina, have gone a step further. Argentina has recognized González as Venezuela's president-elect and demanded that Maduro step aside and transfer power to the opposition. The U.S., however, has not officially declared González as the winner or referred to him as the president-elect.

This joint call for new elections represents a significant display of regional force by the U.S. and its partners. They aim to resolve the ongoing stalemate in Venezuela between the ruling socialist party and the energized opposition movement. Following the July 28 elections, the Venezuelan government declared Maduro as the winner, citing national-level results. In contrast, the opposition dismissed these results, presenting precinct-level results, known as "actas," which indicated González's victory by a two-to-one margin.

The opposition's own version of the results, published online and verified by outlets such as The Washington Post, has further undermined the legitimacy of Maduro's victory. Adding to the international condemnation, the Carter Center and the United Nations have both criticized the election, stating that it did not meet international standards of electoral integrity.

Over the past few weeks, President Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have engaged in extensive communication with other countries in the region, including Panama, Mexico, Brazil, and Colombia. The goal is to coordinate responses and avoid past missteps in promoting democracy in Venezuela.

However, this approach of deferring to Brazil and Colombia has drawn criticism from both Republican lawmakers and experts familiar with Latin America. In a letter addressed to Secretary Blinken, 20 former U.S. officials, including four former ambassadors to Caracas, urged the administration to take a more forceful stance in addressing the ongoing electoral standoff in Venezuela. They emphasized that Maduro's actions pose a significant challenge to broader U.S. foreign policy interests in the region and called for stronger U.S. leadership.

In this critical moment, the joint efforts of President Biden, Brazil, and Colombia, along with other Latin American countries, could play a crucial role in resolving the Venezuelan crisis. The push for new elections in Venezuela represents a united front against electoral irregularities and a renewed commitment to democracy in the country.