Strasbourg, 19 September 2024
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Rejection of electoral fraud orchestrated by the Venezuelan regime
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MEPs condemn the persecution of the democratic opposition
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Warn about a new migratory exodus from Venezuela
The EU should do its utmost to ensure that Edmundo González Urrutia, the legitimate and democratically elected President of Venezuela, can take office on 10 January 2025.
In a resolution adopted on Thursday 19 September by 309 votes in favour, 201 against and 12 abstentions, Parliament “strongly condemns and fully rejects the electoral fraud orchestrated by the regime-controlled National Electoral Council, which refused to make public the official result.” MEPs recognise Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s legitimate and democratically elected president, and María Corina Machado as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela. They also strongly condemn the Venezuelan Government’s issuance of an arrest warrant for Mr González.
MEPs highlight that despite repeated calls from the international community, the Venezuelan regime has failed to respect the 2023 Barbados Agreement between the Maduro government and the opposition in relation to the presidential election, making a free and fair election impossible.
MEPs note that reports from international election observation missions clearly state that the Venezuelan presidential election of 28 July 2024 did not meet international standards of electoral integrity. They also condemn in the strongest possible terms the murders, harassment, violations and arrests perpetrated against the democratic opposition, the Venezuelan people, and civil society, calling for an end to systematic human rights violations.
Parliament urges the EU to reinstate sanctions against the members of the National Electoral Council. It calls for the prolongation of regime sanctions and for expanding their scope to apply targeted sanctions through the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Nicolás Maduro and his inner circle.
MEPs welcome the role that the governments of Brazil, Colombia and Mexico are playing and urge regional actors and the international community to exert maximum pressure on Maduro’s regime and his inner circle to accept the democratic will of the Venezuelan people, recognising Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate and democratically elected President. If this does not happen, Parliament warns that a renewed migratory exodus to other countries in the region will follow, similar to that which has led close to eight million Venezuelans to flee the country in recent years.
Source – EU Parliament
S&Ds: The EPP are taking advantage of Venezuela to team up with the far right, to the detriment of the Venezuelan people
The Socialists and Democrats denounce the EPP’s decision to team up with the extreme right in the European Parliament for a resolution on the situation in Venezuela, which was voted today. With this decision, the EPP is showing its true face by breaking its commitment to respect the cordon sanitaire and normalising anti-European extremist groups in the European Parliament.
The people of Venezuela deserve more than this; they should not be pawns for the EPP’s political games! Earlier this week, the Socialists and Democrats already called for an end of the repression wave in Venezuela as well as for the full publication of the election results.
The S&D Group condemns Maduro’s repressive policies and attacks on civil society and the opposition. Since the outcome of the presidential elections of July 28th, the Socialists and Democrats have strongly rejected the legitimacy of the election results due to the lack of transparency and minimum guarantees during the electoral process. The S&Ds demand that the Venezuelan electoral authorities release full, transparent and detailed voting results.
Javi López, European Parliament vice-president and S&D negotiator on the resolution on the situation of Venezuela, said:
“The EPP has decided to build on an agreement on Venezuela with Meloni, Orbán and Le Pen, together with the support of the German far right, instead of with the pro-European groups.
“We, the Socialists and Democrats, demand the end of repression in Venezuela and respect for the will expressed at the polls. We have to work to bring back democracy. A hasty recognition of Edmundo González as the winner of the elections is of little use given the precedents.
“The 27 EU governments maintain a cohesive and committed approach to democracy. None of them, nor even those governed by the EPP, have recognised Edmundo González as the winner of the elections. The agreement of the right with the far right weakens our united European position and is a disservice to the Venezuelan people when it imposes its position on the European Parliament alongside those who have little faith in democracy.”
Yannis Maniatis, vice-president of the S&D Group for foreign affairs, security and defence, international energy security and cooperation, said:
“The S&D Group has repeatedly warned about the normalisation of the far right. With this move, the EPP is normalising extremist views in our societies and is guilty of undermining the European Union and its hard-fought values.
“The EU should remain united in its support to the people of Venezuela in their legitimate democratic aspirations. The persecution of political leaders and civil society must stop and the Venezuelan authorities must respect the election results. We will be always on the side of democracy, the protection of human rights and for the defence of the will of the people of Venezuela.”
Source – S&D Group (via email)
Renew Europe stands with Venezuelan opposition, not with the far-right
Strasbourg, September 19, 2024
In a symbolic stand against the far-right “Patriots” group in the European Parliament, Renew Europe MEPs will today not vote on a text on the political situation in Venezuela, which the “Patriots” Group co-authored.
“Patriots” do not have in mind the interest of Venezuela’s opposition. Renew Europe won’t take part in this far-right playbook and decided as a group to voice their protest instead.
Publicly available electoral records show that Edmundo González appears to have won the presidential election by a large majority. Renew Europe expects him to be sworn in as President in January 2025.
We stand with the opposition and democracy, contrary to the far-right. That is why we refuse any normalisation of divisive rhetoric and policies that are fundamentally at odds with the principles of tolerance and respect for diversity.
Renew Europe calls for a return to the political centre in the European Parliament and a reaffirmation to democratic and liberal values that promote inclusivity and cooperation. Geopolitical affirmations must be crafted from the centre, between democrats.
Valérie Hayer, President of Renew Europe, said:
“Renew Europe will not participate in today’s final vote regarding the resolution on the situation in Venezuela to oppose that the “Patriots” co-authored this resolution. Renew Europe is fully supporting Venezuela’s opposition leader but will not sign up to political deals with the so called “Patriots”.
The future of the European Union must be crafted in the political centre. The rise of extremism poses a direct threat to the stability and future of Europe, and it is imperative that all political parties take a stand against it.”
Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez (Partido Nacionalista Vasco, Spain), Renew Europe negotiator, added:
“We would have liked that, following the example of the Platform opposing Nicolás Maduro, a dialogue has taken place here in the European Parliament and an attempt to reach a joint resolution avoiding partisanship and alignment with the extreme right. We hope that on 10 January Nicolás Maduro will not be sworn in as president.”
Source – Renew Europe
MEP Carlo Fidanza (ECR): EU has duty to act on Venezuela
Members of the European Parliament have adopted a resolution sending a strong message condemning Nicolás Maduro’s regime in Venezuela after it stole the country’s presidential elections. The resolution also recognises former presidential candidate Edmundo González Urrutia, who has fled to Spain since the elections, as the rightful President-elect of the country.
Speaking on behalf of the ECR Group during the related European Parliament plenary debate on Tuesday 17 September, Italian MEP Carlo Fidanza said: “On 28 July, the Venezuelan people rebelled against the narco-communist dictatorship of Nicolás Maduro and elected Edmundo González Urrutia as their legitimate president, after the leader of the democratic opposition, María Corina Machado, had been shamefully expelled from the electoral contest.” He emphasised the lack of transparency and international observation in the recent elections, branding them as “an election stolen by the regime.”
Fidanza also exposed the left for what he described as “complicit silence.” He argued that “every extra day granted to Maduro is a favour to those who want to turn all of Latin America into the fifth column of Russia, China and Iran.”
“We have a duty to raise the pressure, to launch sanctions against Maduro and the other leaders of the regime, and to recognise the election of the only legitimate president, Edmundo González. And we must do this as the European Union, because unilateral initiatives would be less effective and perhaps even more risky”, said Fidanza in relation to the resolution.
“We have a duty to act now, because between now and 10 January the constitutional process for the proclamation of the new president must take place”, Fidanza continued.
“We must do this with symbolic initiatives, and that is also why our group will propose awarding the Sakharov Prize to Edmundo González, and with him to María Corina Machado and the whole of democratic Venezuela”, Fidanza concluded.
MEPs voted to adopt the resolution today with a majority of 309 votes, with 201 votes against and 12 abstentions.
Source – ECR Group (via E-Mail)