10/11/2021 (Agence Europe) – The EPP Group announced on Tuesday 9 November that it had decided not to participate in the electoral mission that the European Parliament will send to Venezuela to follow the municipal and regional elections on 21 November. “The EPP Group does not want to contribute with its presence in case the EU mission is interpreted as support for the cruel regime that has seized power in Venezuela and which has been condemned on numerous occasions by the European Parliament”, explained EPP Group Chairman Manfred Weber (Germany) and Dolors Montserrat (Spain). “The only person responsible for the deterioration of the image of the EU and the validation of the regime’s behaviour will be High Representative Josep Borrell”, they stated. According to them, the polls “will be neither free nor transparent”. On 21 September, Mr Borrell had announced the sending of an electoral mission (see EUROPE 12812/16, 12802/14). (CG)