Brussels, 29 July 2024
The European Union has been following closely the electoral process in Venezuela.
The EU commends the determination of the people of Venezuela to exercise their voting rights peacefully and in large numbers. The EU acknowledges the opposition’s commitment to the electoral process despite an uneven playing field. The will of the people of Venezuela must be respected.
The results of the elections have not been verified and cannot be considered as representative of the will of the people of Venezuela until all the official records from polling stations are published and verified.
The EU calls on the Venezuelan Electoral Council (CNE) to exercise maximum transparency in the process of results tabulation, including the granting of immediate access to the voting records of each polling station and the publication of disaggregated election results. The EU also calls on the authorities to ensure the full and timely investigation of any post-electoral complaints and grievances.
Credible reports from domestic and international observers indicate that the elections were marred by numerous flaws and irregularities.
The European Union regrets that none of the key recommendations from the 2021 EU Electoral Observation Mission have been implemented. Obstacles to the participation of opposition candidates, deficiencies in the voter registry, and imbalanced media access contributed to unequal electoral conditions.
The EU is concerned about arbitrary detentions and intimidation of members of the opposition and civil society throughout the electoral process and calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners.
The EU appeals for calm and urges the security forces to ensure full respect for human rights, including the right to peaceful assembly.
The EU will continue to pursue all political and diplomatic efforts in support of dialogue and a peaceful and negotiated way out of the political crisis.
The EU reiterates its support to regional and international efforts to facilitate dialogue and restore the democratic legitimacy of Venezuelan institutions.
Source – EEAS