Venezuela: EU must disregard 6 December electoral farce

The EPP Group does not recognise the electoral farce which took place in Venezuela on 6 December and disregards any political consequences resulting from it. "We regret that recent statements by the EU's High Representative Josep Borrell led to ambiguity regarding the EU’s position", said Leopoldo López Gil MEP ahead of today's plenary debate on the situation in Venezuela.

“The so-called vote on 6 December was a spurious process as is the creation of an illegal, illegitimate and undemocratic new legislative body set to replace the National Assembly democratically elected in 2015. The EU must disregard the vote and explicitly recognise Guaidó and the National Assembly as the only legitimate body representing the Venezuelan democrats as long as truly free, credible, inclusive, transparent and fully democratic elections are not held in this country”, insisted López Gil.

“A lack of clarity by the EU will whitewash Maduro’s totalitarian regime instead of bringing a solution to the Venezuelan crisis. There must not be any doubt on whose side the EU stands in this crisis”, he added.

The EPP Group strongly condemns the ongoing violence in the country and calls for the unconditional and immediate release of the more than 350 political prisoners and an international investigation into the crimes perpetrated by the regime.

“We fully support the idea that the International Criminal Court investigates the crimes and acts of repression perpetrated by the Venezuelan regime. We urge the EU to also support this initiative”, López Gil concluded.