In a joint communiqué published on Saturday 26 November, the European Union, the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom announced their “willingness to review [their] sanctions policies” aimed at the Venezuelan authorities, if the ‘Maduro’ regime allows significant progress to be made in “alleviating the suffering of the Venezuelan people” and promotes “the restoration of democracy”.
The four partners welcomed the resumption of talks between the ruling government in Caracas and the Venezuelan political opposition in Mexico under the auspices of Norway, urging them to reach an agreement to end the political crisis with a view to “free and fair elections in 2024”.
In this context, they stress the importance for the country’s authorities to implement the 23 recommendations on the restoration of democratic standards that the European Union issued after the Venezuelan regional elections in November 2021 (see EUROPE 12896/11).
The four partners called for the unconditional release of political prisoners and for freedom of expression in Venezuela, including for the press. (Original version in French by Mathieu Bion)