The European Union does not recognise the election of the constituent assembly that took place in Venezuela on Sunday 30 July, the spokesperson for the European Union External Action Service has implied in a press release. The election was boycotted by the opposition and was marred by violence and the death of at least 15 people.
"A constituent assembly, elected under doubtful and often violent circumstances, cannot be part of the solution" to the current crisis, the EEAS spokesperson stated, adding that the vote "has increased division and will further de-legitimise Venezuela's democratically elected institutions" "whose role is to work together and to find a negotiated solution to the current crisis". The spokesperson stated that Venezuela's President Nicolás Maduro and government had "the special responsibility to restore the spirit of the constitution and to re-establish the trust lost by their attempt to set up divisive parallel institutions".
The European Commission spokesperson meanwhile stated on 31 July that "the Commission has great doubt as to whether the election result can be recognised" –and even before the election took place, European Parliament President Antonio Tajani had warned that the European Parliament would not recognise the results.
The national electoral council (CNE) in Venezuela has claimed 41.5% turnout, although the opposition puts turnout at 12%. This new assembly should give full powers to the head of state, Nicolás Maduro, who has promised to lift parliamentary immunity from opposition deputies, who have held the majority in the parliament since 2006, and to take back control of the public prosecutor.
The EU deeply regrets the violence and unrest during the election, the EEAS spokesperson states in the press release, calling on all sides to refrain from violence and condemning "the excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces".
In the spokesperson's view, these elections and the violent events surrounding them "have reinforced the European Union's preoccupation for the fate of democracy in Venezuela". The future of democracy in Venezuela "is a legitimate concern to all countries in the region", the spokesperson stated, and "the government of Venezuela has a responsibility to ensure respect for the rule of law and fundamental rights, such as freedom of expression and the right to peacefully demonstrate", the spokesperson added.
Supporting the ongoing regional efforts at mediation, the EU will continue to seek urgent relief for the people of Venezuela and promote a political solution to the crisis, the spokesperson stated.
When asked about possible further sanctions against Venezuela, the European Commission spokesperson, Mina Andreeva, did not want to comment but simply said that High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini was working on an EU response on behalf of the 28 member states. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)