Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Thursday said it would be “impossible” to delay parliamentary elections planned for Dec. 6, after the European Union suggested pushing back the vote to meet conditions for the bloc to send an observer mission. The EU last week said there was not enough time left for it to send observers, at Venezuela’s invitation. By Mayela Armas, Luc Cohen. Full Text -> Reuters

We, a group of concerned countries including members of the Lima Group, the International Contact Group, the European Union, the United States, and others, call upon all Venezuelans, of all ideological tendencies and party affiliations, whether civilian or military, to put the interests of Venezuela above politics and engage urgently in support of a process shaped and driven by Venezuelans to establish an inclusive transitional government that will lead the country into free and fair presidential elections, sooner not later. National Assembly elections alone do not present a political solution and instead may further polarize an already divided society. Full Text -> Global Public Affairs DoS