Venezuela: The winner of the opposition’s primaries must be allowed to run in the presidential elections

The Renew Europe Group in the European Parliament strongly condemns the arbitrary, unconstitutional and politically motivated decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Court to disqualify the winner of the democratic opposition’s primaries, Maria Corina Machado, and block her participation in the presidential elections. This decision has to be immediately revoked.

In a resolution today adopted by the plenary and initiated by our political group, we urge the Venezuelan regime to stop persecuting and repressing political opponents, civil society activists and its population by violating civil and political rights.

Renew Europe calls on the Council to maintain EU sanctions on the Maduro regime and further extend their scope by including the judges of the Supreme Court of Venezuela and members of the Venezuelan security forces involved in the systematic practice of abuses against government opponents.

MEP, Jordi Cañas (Ciudadanos, Spain), Vice-President of Renew Europe said that the EU shall not consider sending any electoral observation mission to Venezuela until there are clear and credible guarantees that the Barbados agreement is implemented, electoral roadmap upheld and the 2021 EU election observation mission’s recommendations respected:

“If the Venezuelan regime does not respect the Barbados Agreement, the EU shall not send an electoral observation mission nor recognise the results of the presidential election. We will not whitewash a dictatorship.”

Renew Europe MEP, Dita Charanzová (Independent, Czech Republic), Vice-President of the European Parliament responsible for relations with Latin America, added:

“Today we have sent a clear message: Maria Corina Machado, the only leader of the opposition, has the full right to run in the elections. There will be no democratic elections without her participation.”

Renew Europe MEP, José Ramón Bauzá (Ciudadanos, Spain), concluded:

“The time for concessions has failed. The EU must apply maximum pressure until free elections are held. The opposition chose Maria Corina Machado as its legitimate presidential candidate, so there will be no free elections without her. Europe owes it to Venezuela.”