MADRID, Spain.- The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, described the Government of Nicolás Maduro as “a dictatorial and authoritarian regime”. In an interview with the Spanish channel Telecinco, Borrell referred to the arbitrary arrests and the recent departure from Venezuela of opposition leader Edmundo González, who is in Spain, where he was offered political asylum.
Borrell stressed that, although Venezuela has called elections, “it was not a democracy before and it is even less so now.” He said that denouncing the dictatorial nature of the regime is not enough to resolve the situation, since “a certain verbal restraint” is required to move forward with possible solutions.
The statements of the head of European diplomacy come a week after the Gonzalez’s arrival in Spain, after receiving an arrest warrant in Venezuela for alleged crimes related to the publication of election results, charges that he has repeatedly denied. Borrell also mentioned the “thousand limitations” to which political parties are subjected in Venezuela and recalled that seven million Venezuelans have fled the country.
In mid-August, Josep Borrell issued a statement declaring that “respect for the will of the Venezuelan people remains the only way for Venezuela restore democracy and resolve the current political and socio-economic crisis with guarantees for all.”
On that occasion, the High Representative highlighted the lack of transparency in the electoral process, stressing that “to date, the CNE “The Venezuelan government has not made public the official voting records of the polling stations, despite having promised to do so.” Borrell also criticised the Venezuelan regime’s decision to entrust the judiciary with the certification of the results. “This is not the usual procedure according to the Venezuelan constitutional order,” he said.
In the statement also demanded the immediate end to arbitrary arrests and repression against members of the opposition and civil society, and called for the release of all political prisoners. He also stressed the importance of protecting fundamental freedoms in Venezuela, including freedom of expression and information.
