Spain demands publication of Venezuela election minutes – DW – 08/23/2024

Spain requested this Friday (08/23/2024) that the results of the Venezuelan presidential elections of July 28 be published in a “comprehensive and verifiable” manner in order to recognize them.

Without any surprise, Venezuela’s Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) validated this Thursday the re-election of Nicolás Maduro, who described the decision as “coercive”.

“For the results of the presidential election in Venezuela to be recognized, it is necessary that the minutes with the voting results be published in a complete and verifiable manner, so that there is full transparency,” claimed official sources in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Venezuelan government.

“Until that happens, we will not recognise the result of the election,” he said, adding that the Spanish government would continue to work with its European and Latin American partners “to respect the democratic will of the Venezuelan people”.

Finally, he called for “a political solution based on dialogue and negotiation among Venezuelans, and for the arrests to stop and social peace to be maintained in the country.”

On the other hand, the European Union (EU) also rejected the TSJ’s declaration. “We continue to say that we have to prove this electoral result and at the moment we have not seen any proof. And until we see a result that is verifiable, we will not recognize it,” stated on Thursday the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell.

The Venezuelan opposition, led by María Corina Machado, says its candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, won, accusing the TSJ of issuing punishments “to please” Maduro’s regime.

RR (AFP/EFE)