The EU’s top diplomat, Josep Borrell, publicly questioned the validity of Nicolás Maduro’s victory in Venezuela’s presidential election in July. Borrell suggested that opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia may have actually won the election based on publicly available voting records. This led to a war of words between Maduro and Borrell, with Maduro accusing Borrell of supporting atrocities in Gaza and being influenced by the US. Despite the opposition’s claims that Maduro was defeated by a significant margin, Venezuela’s highest court upheld his re-election, leading to protests and international criticism.
Venezuela’s political crisis deepened as opposition supporters took to the streets to protest against Maduro’s claim to a third term as president. The court’s decision to uphold Maduro’s victory has been met with skepticism by the EU and other countries, who have called for the full, verified breakdown of the election results to be published. The EU has indicated that there are “strong indications” that the final count does not match the authorities’ claims. This has prompted the EU’s foreign ministers to discuss their response to the crisis when they gather in Brussels.
The EU’s spokesperson for foreign affairs, Peter Stano, emphasized the need for complete and independently verifiable results to ensure that the will of the Venezuelan people is respected. A UN report also supports the conclusion that the official count does not align with the opposition’s claims. The EU’s response to the crisis in Venezuela will require unanimous backing from all 27 member states. This comes after Hungary blocked an initial statement denouncing irregularities in the election, suggesting divisions within the bloc.
While the EU has not yet called for new sanctions against Venezuela, the political crisis has strained relations between the EU and Maduro’s government. The EU had previously denounced Maduro’s 2018 re-election as unfree and unfair, leading to the imposition of sanctions aimed at weakening Maduro’s grip on power. The EU’s continued scrutiny of Venezuela’s political situation reflects ongoing concerns about the legitimacy of Maduro’s presidency and the country’s democratic processes. The EU’s stance on the issue will likely continue to evolve as the situation in Venezuela unfolds.
