Venezuela: Statement by the High Representative

The European Union remains extremely concerned about the deepening political crisis in Venezuela.

The EU welcomes the interim report of the UN Panel of Experts, invited by Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) to assess the overall conduct of the elections within the framework of the Barbados Agreement. This report has shed light on the electoral process and underscored the lack of substantiation for the results announced by Venezuelan authorities.

As of today, Venezuelan authorities have not provided the necessary public evidence to assess the electoral process according to the standards indicated by the UN panel of experts.

In light of the ruling by the Supreme Court of Justice of Venezuela (TSJ), it is worth recalling that the CNE is the body legally and constitutionally responsible for the transparent and detailed publication of official electoral results.

Only complete and independently verifiable results will be accepted and recognized to ensure that the will of the Venezuelan people is respected.

The European Union continues to urge the CNE to publish and independently verify the official voting records (“actas”) from all the polling stations. Furthermore, the European Union stresses that the UN Panel of Experts has confirmed that a sample of the reviewed 'actas' published by the opposition exhibit the security features of the original result protocols, thereby confirming their reliability. According to the publicly available copies of the 'actas,' Edmundo González Urrutia would appear to be the winner of the presidential election by a significant majority.

The Venezuelan people have to decide their own destiny. Their will must prevail. The European Union will continue to work with its regional partners to ensure that the will of the Venezuelan people expressed at the ballot box is respected and to facilitate a Venezuelan-led dialogue that provides guarantees to both sides and leads to the restoration of democracy and to solve the current humanitarian and socio-economic crisis.

Venezuelan authorities must respect the right of all Venezuelans to peacefully demonstrate and freely express their political opinions without fear of reprisal. They must refrain from using excessive force, end the repression and harassment of the opposition and civil society, and release all political prisoners. Human rights violations must be thoroughly investigated and those responsible held accountable.