Sawt Falasteen - Lula says 'scared' by Maduro's bloodbath warning ahead of Venezuela vote

"I was scared by Maduro's statements that if he loses the election there will be a bloodbath," Lula told international news agencies in Brasilia, as the Venezuelan leader prepares to seek a third six-year term amid accusations of foul play and opposition persecution.

"Maduro has to learn: if you win, you stay (in power). If you lose, you go. And you prepare to contest another election," said the leftist icon, back in office since last year after serving two previous terms until 2010.

"I hope that is what happens, for the sake of Venezuela and for the sake of South America," he added.

On Saturday, Maduro had warned the vote's outcome would decide the future of the economically devastated country: "whether it becomes a peaceful Venezuela or a convulsed, violent and conflict-ridden Venezuela. Peace or war."

And days earlier, he said Venezuela risks a "bloodbath" if he loses.

"Venezuela's fate in the 21st century depends on our victory on July 28. If they do not want Venezuela to become a bloodbath, a fratricidal civil war produced by the fascists, let us guarantee the greatest success, the greatest electoral victory of our people," he said at a campaign event in Caracas.

Institutions loyal to 61-year-old Maduro -- in office since 2013 -- have barred wildly popular opposition leader Maria Corina Machado from the race on what she and others dismiss as trumped-up corruption charges.

Others, too, were disqualified or have pulled out, and the opposition Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD) picked 74-year-old Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, a little-known ex-diplomat, as a last-minute figurehead candidate.

Gonzalez Urrutia is far ahead in polls, but observers fear Maduro will never allow him to win.

- 'Harassment, persecution and repression' -

Lula had cultivated close ties with Maduro's predecessor and mentor, Hugo Chavez.

But relations between the neighbors were severed under Lula's far-right predecessor Jair Bolsonaro.

Lula's decision to restore relations with Maduro's socialist government -- accused of human rights violations and trampling on democracy -- has drawn criticism from opponents.

Lula said Monday he had spoken to Maduro twice, and "he knows that the only way for Venezuela to return to normality is for there to be an electoral process respected by all."

Last month, Lula criticized obstacles placed in the way of the opposition by Venezuela's electoral authority, loyal to the regime, and called for more international vote observers after Caracas withdraw an invitation to monitors from the European Union.

He also called for the lifting of international sanctions against the Caribbean nation.

Lula said Monday his government would send two members of Brazil's electoral court and his own foreign affairs advisor Celso Amorim to observe Sunday's balloting.

Last week, Argentina, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Paraguay and Uruguay urged Caracas to cease the "harassment, persecution and repression" of opponents and "the release of all political prisoners."

W.AbuLaban--SF-PST