MOSCOW, November 8. /TASS/. Washington’s rhetoric concerning Sunday’s presidential elections in Nicaragua is an act of interference in the internal affairs of another state, and the countries of Latin America must take a stand against such actions, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Felix Placencia said Monday at a press conference following talks with Russia’s top diplomat Sergey Lavrov.

According to the minister, the US had already slammed the elections in Nicaragua branding them a failure, even before they had actually started. The same is being done to many countries not just in Latin America, but also in Europe, in order to "scuttle the governments and political projects that are not dependent on Washington," he pointed out.

"We must resist Washington’s meddling. Are we really supposed <…> to reject a peaceful, stable electoral process, a constructive process that resulted in the recognition of a government that is committed to providing progress, happiness, and prosperity to its people? In no way should we kowtow to Washington. We must reject Washington’s policy of meddling in the countries of our region <...> and oppose any implementation of this scheme which is used constantly around the world to no avail," Placencia stressed.

The minister also extended his congratulations to the people of Nicaragua on the successful elections, and saluted the resilience displayed by the country’s government as it "defended its democratic rule." "We saw that these elections were held in a calm and friendly environment. These were successful elections," Placencia added. "Our government has congratulated the people of Nicaragua as well as the country’s government on this big day for the electoral process. <...> We acknowledge the right of the Nicaraguan people to elect the government it wants to elect and choose the way they — as a people who make their own decisions as to how they want to live in their own country - want to follow," he emphasized.

General elections were held in Nicaragua - a country of 6.5 million people - on Sunday. Over 4.5 million eligible Nicaraguan voters flocked to the polls to elect the president, vice president, members of the National Assembly (he country’s unicameral parliament), and the Central American Parliament. Along with the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN), which nominated incumbent President Daniel Ortega, six more political parties took part in the race.

More than 200 independent observers from Russia, Abkhazia, South Ossetia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain, France, Latin American countries, and from all the political forces taking part in the elections monitored the voting.