US President Barack Obama takes a stance on Venezuelan election

US President Barack Obama would like to witness in Venezuela "free and fair elections where the people's will is respected."

His comments were made during an exclusive interview with Grupo Diarios de América (GDA), a cluster of 11 leading newspapers in the Western Hemisphere. Venezuela, "like all sovereign nations, ought to set its own destiny, but the Venezuelan people are the ones who should determine their democratic way."

President Obama recounted that the countries of the Americas have a duty to protect their right to self-determination, as set forth in the Inter-American Democratic Charter, to which all of them are parties.

All of the Americas, for many generations, have suffered to give freedom and justice a real meaning, the US Head of State underscored.

However, he stressed that nowadays, universal rights, such as freedom of expression, and liberties, such as Independence of judges, are under siege.

He vowed that his country would continue "advocating the people's right everywhere to choose their own future."

His remarks came ahead of the upcoming Summit of the Americas, to be held this weekend in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.