The European Conservatives and Reformist Group refuses to recognise the legitimacy of the new Venezuelan National Assembly due to the numerous discrepancies found in the conduct of the elections held on the 6th of December 2020.

The ECR notes with great concern that these results nonetheless may give an excuse to the Maduro regime to take complete control of the National Assembly, thus abolishing the last bastion of institutionalised democratic representation in the country.

The ECR Group strongly condemns the antidemocratic character of the Maduro regime. We also take note of numerous problems in the country, including a profound humanitarian and economic crisis, mass migration exodus, corruption, economic mismanagement as well as constant violations of human rights.

These dramatic developments show clearly that the Venezuelan regime is following the example of the communist Cuba. This is further strengthened by the fact that La Havana controls many of the key positions and structures of the Venezuelan regime.

The ECR Group is also deeply concerned about allegations that Venezuelan and Cuban authorities are supporting the activities of Foro Sao Paolo, a transnational organisation founded in 1990. It is comprised of a network of communist forces, terrorist organisations, as well as drug trafficking and money laundering systems. It plays a major role in destabilizing activities in Latin America against democratic forces, especially in Chile, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru.

This organisation also gains increasing influence in Europe through its links with left wing movements, including the Spanish communist party Podemos which is part of the current Government coalition in Spain.

Anna Fotyga, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland and current ECR Foreign Affairs Coordinator insists, “A clear and firm position of the European forces and of the international community is necessary to force the regime into a real transition process towards democracy”.

“The ECR Group condemns this farce which failed to meet any minimum standard of credibility, legality and legitimacy. With Maduro in power, there is no possibility for any real transition”, the ECR Group’s and EUROLAT’s Vice President Hermann Tertsch, said in a statement on Tuesday.

The ECR Group wishes to express its support for the courageous people and the democratic opposition in Venezuela in their fight for the return to freedom and respect of basic rules.

The ECR Group will continue to work constructively with other political groups in the European Parliament and with our NATO allies to press for the restoration of Venezuelan democracy and to bring Nicolás Maduro and those responsible, for the Crimes against Humanity committed in Venezuela before the International Criminal Court.

We continue to hold the illegitimate Maduro regime directly responsible for any harm it causes and urges the EU and Members States to trigger the International Criminal Court’s jurisdiction via a referral by the UN bodies; reminding that individual countries may investigate specific atrocities in Venezuela under the universal jurisdiction principle.