Brussels, 08/06/2016 (Agence Europe) - Concerned at the political and economic crisis being experienced throughout Venezuela, MEPs call on High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to set up an aid plan aimed at responding to the shortage of basic food. They express their call in a resolution adopted in Strasbourg on Wednesday 8 June.
Developed by the EPP, S&D, ECR and ALDE groups following a debate in the Parliament's previous plenary session (see EUROPE 11549), the non-legislative resolution also calls on the June European Council to make a political statement on the situation in Venezuela and to support the recent efforts at mediation. Mogherini met the former prime minister of Spain, José Luis Zapatero, on Tuesday, who is trying to facilitate the dialogue between the Venezuelan government and political opposition, with the former presidents of the Dominican Republic and Panama, Leonel Fernandez and Martin Torrijos respectively.
The European Parliament urges the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro to respect the Venezuelan constitution, including the legal procedures and mechanisms enabling the process to be activated of dismissing the president before the end of 2016. With the majority in the national parliament, the Mesa de la Unidad democratica opposition is leading a petition that calls for a referendum on dismissing Maduro. It calls for the release of all political opponents before starting negotiations with the current power - a condition supported by the European Parliament.
In a press release, Antonio Tajani (EPP, Italy) says that Venezuela is suffering the biggest recession and the strongest inflation in the world. This should not be happening in a country that has the biggest oil reserves in the world, he says.
All the amendments of the GUE/NGL Group, which criticises the attempts to interfere in the domestic affairs of a country where the government has been democratically elected, were rejected. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)