A banner with a message that reads in Spanish: "Venezuelan electoral power, safe and reliable voting guaranteed", is displayed on the facade of the National Electoral Council, in Caracas, Venezuela, March 21, 2024. (PHOTO / AP)

CARACAS - Venezuela categorically rejected the United States' attempts to "discount and delegitimize" the results of the upcoming presidential elections, its foreign ministry said on Thursday.

Citing a US statement released Wednesday, the ministry slammed the US for "trying to discount and delegitimize the next elections".

The foreign ministry said Venezuela "is proud of its electoral system", and committed to "maintaining peace, economic growth and political stability"

The response came after the US State Department said it was "deeply concerned" that the Venezuelan National Electoral Council aimed to restrict opposition candidates from registering to participate in the July 28 elections.

Washington, the ministry said, intends to "minimize" the participation of 37 political groups that have backed the registration of 13 presidential candidates.

The constitutional requirements of the electoral process have been fulfilled, along "with each point of the agreement signed between the legitimate government of Venezuela and the self-proclaimed Unitary Platform", as the opposition alliance is called.

Venezuela "is proud of its electoral system", and committed to "maintaining peace, economic growth and political stability", the ministry said.