On Thursday, 19 September, the European Parliament passed a resolution with 309 votes in favour, 201 against, and 12 abstentions. The resolution strongly condemns and entirely rejects the electoral fraud carried out by the regime-controlled National Electoral Council, which refused to release the official result. Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) recognise Edmundo González Urrutia as Venezuela’s legitimate and democratically elected President and María Corina Machado as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela.
However, the Socialists and Democrats, and Liberals abstained from voting on the text due to concerns about the far-right’s involvement. Additionally, they condemned the alliance between the EPP and far-right groups in the European Parliament regarding the text concerning Venezuela.
The text strongly condemns the Venezuelan government’s arrest warrant for Edmundo González and the failure to respect the 2023 Barbados Agreement. It also criticises the 2024 presidential election for not meeting international standards and calls for reinstating sanctions against the National Electoral Council members. Additionally, it urges the international community to pressure Nicola Maduro‘s regime to recognise Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate President. It warns of a potential renewed migratory exodus if this does not happen.
“Europe approves a harsh resolution condemning the Maduro regime and recognising Edmundo González as the elected President of Venezuela. A very important victory for all democrats who defend freedom against dictatorships. Not one step back. Until the end,” posted on X, the EPP vice-president Dolors Montserrat.
“We must 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 ECR’s Carlo Fidanza.
No to EPP’s cooperation with the far-right
The Socialists and Democrats are condemning the European People’s Party (EPP) for joining forces with the extreme right in the European Parliament to pass a resolution on the situation in Venezuela. The EPP’s move goes against its previous commitment to uphold a cordon sanitaire, S&Ds say. It is seen as an attempt to legitimise 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,” stated S&Ds.
“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 28 July, 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,” emphasised the Socialists and Democrats.
“In a symbolic stand against the far-right Patriots, our MEPs will not vote on a text on the political situation in Venezuela, which the Patriots co-wrote. We stand with the opposition in Venezuela! Geopolitical affirmations must be crafted from the center, between Democrats!” stated the Renew Europe group.
