The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, announced on Thursday 31 January the creation of the contact group on Venezuela.
“We have decided to establish an international contact group, agreed between our Member States and with some Latin American countries”, she announced to the press after the first day of the informal Gymnich Council in Bucharest.
According to Ms Mogherini, the objective of the group, coordinated by the EU and limited to 90 days, is to “promote a common understanding and a constructive and consulted approach between the international players with the objective of having a peaceful and democratic outcome of the current crisis”. “It will help build the confidence and conditions necessary for a credible process to emerge, in line with the provisions of the Venezuelan Constitution, to enable Venezuelans to determine their future through the holding of new elections”, she said, adding that the electoral process must be “fair and free” and can be monitored by independent international observers. The group could be disbanded or extended, depending on (non) progress, Mogherini said.
The High Representative announced that the group would be composed of the Member States, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. From the Latin American side, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Bolivia have already confirmed their participation, but other Member States could follow, according to Ms Mogherini. She hoped that the first meeting, at ministerial level, could be held as early as next week in Latin America.
According to the High Representative, Europeans could take additional sanctions in the coming days if they do not see the expected developments. But the ministers did not follow the European Parliament in its recognition of Juan Guaidó, the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, as the legitimate President of Venezuela (see other news). Ms Mogherini only recalled the EU's support for the Assembly, “a legitimate democratic body”, and for its President “in its institutional role”.
The Member States are divided on the recognition of Mr Guaidó as a national prerogative. According to a European source, many Member States are opposed, in principle, to this recognition, because the EU recognises states and not governments.
While last week Germany, Spain, France and the United Kingdom gave President Nicólas Maduro eight days to announce new elections or risk recognising Mr Guaidó as legitimate president, Belgian Minister Didier Reynders, questioned by Belgian media on this ultimatum, said he had never been a supporter of such a strict deadline. “You need a calendar, but not a fool’s game”, he explained. According to him, if things do not evolve in the contact group, “the EU may have to take even stronger decisions”. “We have recognised the President of the Assembly as the President of an assembly elected in a completely reliable way, it may be necessary to take a further step if the situation does not change”, he explained to EUROPE.
Ms Mogherini also announced that the EU was ready to increase its humanitarian aid, but said that until now it had been difficult for the EU to reach the population. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)