Brazil, Colombia urge new Venezuela vote, as opposition cries foul

The presidents of Brazil and Colombia called on Thursday for fresh elections in Venezuela after last month's disputed victory by Nicolás Maduro — a proposal quickly rejected by the opposition, who slammed the strongman for blocking a "political transition."

The two South American leaders, who spoke on the phone on Wednesday to discuss a possible political way forward from Venezuela's post-election crisis, independently urged Maduro to consider a new election.

But Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado said it would show "a lack of respect" for the popular will already expressed on 28 July.

And opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, a 74-year-old retired diplomat who claims he defeated Maduro by a wide margin, accused the longtime leftist leader of "playing with the lives of millions" by refusing to cede defeat.

"The country's economy is getting worse and worse with each passing day with no political solution in sight, and you are responsible for this tragedy," González Urrutia said in a video posted to social media on Thursday.

"Venezuela deserves a future of stability, prosperity and peace, but in order to have that, the will of the people must be respected."

For his part, Maduro, while not directly mentioning a new election, said: "Conflicts in Venezuela… are resolved by Venezuelans, with their institutions, laws and Constitution."

 'Sensible'

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said if Maduro were "sensible… he could try to appeal to the people of Venezuela, perhaps even organize elections."

Lula told a Brazilian radio station there should be "criteria for participation of all candidates" in a new election, which should "allow observers from all over the...