Venezuela: EU does not recognize Maduro or Edmundo Gonzalez as winners

This article was originally published in Italian

The delicate situation in the country after the disputed elections of July 28 was debated for the last time this Thursday Foreign Affairs Council of the European Union Held in Brussels. The EU has officially sought electoral records from Venezuelan authorities.

Incumbent President Nicolas Maduro was declared the winner by the National Electoral Council with 51.9% of the vote. But the opposition led Maria Corina Machadowho has nominated a candidate Edmundo Gonzalezdenounces the irregularities in the counting and voting, which are also defined as not very transparent by the team of United Nations observers sent into the country and by the Carter Center,

European Union Movement

Opposition candidates Edmundo Gonzalezwhat the United States believes to be true election winnerHe also spoke in the meeting of foreign ministers through video connection.

But the EU is not going that far and at a press conference the High Representative for it said foreign Affairs It is limited to saying that “According to copies of the published voting ballots, Edmundo González seems to be the winner of the presidential election with a significant majority.”

The situation in Spain

according to Spain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel AlbarezChavismo will not publish the minutes. “We have to surrender to the evidence that those documents will not be presented, noor want to introduce them and, therefore, to verify them’.

In his opinion, “Once the EU has confirmed that there is no willingness to submit the minutes, we have to ensure what we can do ‘Respect the will of the Venezuelans’,

In particular, the hypothesis of Approve other members of the government and the Venezuelan National Assembly, in addition to the 55 who are already on the European blacklist.

an inadequate measure

According to Nelson Dordelhi Rosales, an advisor on European affairs, this gesture of condemnation from Europe itself would be insufficient. Democratic Unitary ForumCoalition opposing Maduro.

“The sanctions can be expanded: 55 persons are not enough. But, at the same time, The EU should be more creative and use other tools about international diplomatic action,” he says.

For example, an idea would be to formulate A special EU envoy to VenezuelaAs has been done for other troubled areas in the world.**

Dordeli Rosales lives in Brussels and follows the strategy of the EU institutions on Venezuela on a daily basis. In his opinion, the main objective is to break the connection between the Maduro government and Military of VenezuelaWhich has allowed him to remain in power for over a decade.

Help with democratic change

“Another possible incentive would be An aid package linked to Venezuela’s democratic transition. Once Venezuela’s transition is underway or headed in the right direction, this financial package will be available Rebuilding the democratic system In the country,” he says.

“These incentives can serve to dPrevent this conditionin which there is a ‘real’ right that Depends on military supportr to remain in power.” As Nelson Dordely Rosales points out, some EU countries have a more critical stance towards the Maduro government; others, such as Spain and Portugal are more inclined to negotiate,