have these professors been living on a different planet, or what?

the opposition has been boycotting elections in the country for years, creating a facade of illegitimacy that all evidence suggests is unwarranted. their tactic is as follows:

1. boycott the election
2. after the opposition refuses to participate, and the results are skewed, claim the election is rigged.
3. ????????????
4. profit.

i guess the academy is filling in the third step, here. but, it is entirely unclear why the opposition would observe this election, when it has refused to observe the last batch of them.

the solution to this problem is not in calling any kind of election. i've stated this point more than once: the message the world should be sending to the opposition is that if you don't want to take part in the election then you don't get a say in governing.

and, the solution can be nothing more or less than forcing everybody to wait until the next scheduled election.

there is a difference between ochlocracy and democracy. look it up.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/17/proposal-to-end-the-crisis-in-venezuela