Venezuela will not allow EU observation in the 2024 elections

The President of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodriguez, said on Thursday (July 13, 2023) that no European Union election observation mission will enter the country. According to him, the mass ordered “to be invitedTo accompany the presidential elections scheduled for 2024. Reuters.

Rodriguez is a supporter of Nicolás Maduro. The Venezuelan president is expected to run in the race next year. The opposition is scheduled to hold primaries in October to choose its candidate.

During the assembly session on Thursday (July 13), Rodriguez said:No European observation mission has returnedTo European Venezuela once They are colonialHe declared: “I tell you, Josep Borrell [chefe de política externa da UE]There will be no European observer mission as long as we are representatives of the Venezuelan state“.

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro Moros, 60, leads an authoritarian regime without guarantees of basic freedoms. He keeps, for example, people imprisoned for what he considers to be “political crimes”. There are also limitations described in the reports of the Organization of American States (in “illegal date“ National Electoral Council of an illegitimate national association) and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (of October 2022in November 2022 from March 2023).

European Parliament convictedOn Thursday (13. July), “The arbitrary and unconstitutional decision by the Venezuelan regime to prevent prominent political opposition figures such as María Corina Machado, Leopoldo López, Henrique Capriles and Freddy Soberlano from running in the 2024 elections“.

The MEPs said they regretted “The direct interference of the government of authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro in the electoral process and the current severe restrictions on the right of Venezuelans to choose their political representatives“.

They announced that the summit between the European Union and CELAC (the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) “It is an opportunity to express, support and defend the principles of the rule of law, democracy and human rightsIn Latin America – in particular.With Venezuela ignoring the recommendations of the European Union Election Observation Mission, the country suffers from ongoing institutional, economic and political instability“.

The summit will be held next week, and the Brazilian President will participate in it. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (PT).