On Tuesday 22 May, High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini announced that the European Union was considering new sanctions against Venezuela.
Mogherini regretted that the presidential and regional elections of 20 May did not enable the "Venezuelan citizens to express, through a democratic, free and transparent process, their political will and thereby determine the future of the country".
The presidential election – boycotted by the opposition – resulted in the unsurprising re-election of the outgoing president, Nicolas Maduro, with 67.7% of the votes. The turnout rate (around 46%) is the lowest in the history of the country.
In a declaration adopted on behalf of the 28 EU member states, Mogherini said that the polls went ahead without complying with "the minimum international standards for a credible process". The elections did not respect "political pluralism, democracy, transparency and rule of law".
"Major obstacles to the participation of opposition political parties and their leaders, an unbalanced composition of the National Electoral Council, biased electoral conditions, numerous reported irregularities during the election day, including vote buying, stood in the way of fair and equitable elections", Mogherini stated. She also called for the release of all political prisoners.
As she had announced in mid-April (see EUROPE 12005), "the EU and its member states will consider the adoption of appropriate measures", Mogherini thus warned, at a time when the USA strengthened its restrictive measures right after the result of the elections.
The European foreign affairs ministers will discuss the situation in Venezuela when they meet on Monday 28 May. According to several sources, no sanction is expected to be adopted on this occasion, although the adoption of the conclusions is foreseen.
G7 rejects result of presidential election
In a statement published on Wednesday 23 May, the leaders of the G7 (France, Germany, Italy, the UK, Canada, the USA and Japan) and the EU rejected the validity of Maduro's re-election, but did not however threaten the country with sanctions.
The leaders criticised the running of the election and its result, which "lack legitimacy and credibility". In their view, accepted international standards were not met. The G7 leaders called on "the Maduro regime to restore constitutional democracy in Venezuela, schedule free and fair elections that can truly reflect the democratic will of the people, immediately release all political prisoners, restore the authority of the National Assembly and provide for full, safe and unhindered access by humanitarian actors".
The G7 deplores the fact that while the Maduro regime "solidifies its authoritarian grip", the people of Venezuela continue to suffer "human rights abuses and serious deprivation, causing increasing displacement which is affecting countries throughout the region". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)