The G7 countries criticized Venezuela this Friday for having withdrawn its invitation to the European Union (EU) to observe the presidential elections on July 28 and asked to guarantee the rights of the opposition, according to a draft of the final declaration of the annual G7 summit. cluster.
“We are deeply concerned (…) regarding the rights of the opposition within the electoral process and the decision to withdraw the invitation for an EU electoral observation mission”said the G7 in the draft that AFP was able to consult.
In May, the pro-government National Electoral Council (CNE) announced its decision to exclude the European observation mission after the bloc ratified individual sanctions against some 50 officials, denouncing a “hostile attitude.”
The G7, which brings together Germany, Canada, France, Italy, Japan, Germany, the United Kingdom and the United Statesor, he also asked Venezuela to guarantee “competitive and inclusive elections,” as well as “the end of harassment of members of the opposition and the immediate release of all political prisoners.”
The Venezuelan dictator, Nicolás Maduro, is seeking a third term in these elections in which his greatest adversary is Edmundo González Urrutiaappointed by the main opposition alliance on behalf of María Corina Machado, disqualified from holding public office.
Meanwhile, the candidates for the Presidency of Venezuela expressed their positions, some of them antagonistic, on the proposal of the head of state, Nicolás Maduro, of sign a commitment to recognize the results of the elections on July 28.
The idea, formulated last week by the official campaign command and reiterated on Monday by Maduro, was criticized this Tuesday by the candidate of the main opposition coalition, the Democratic Unitary Platform (PUD), Edmundo González Urrutia.
“Sign an agreement for what? The first one that has violated the agreements it signs is the Government, there we have the Barbados agreements that have remained a dead letter”The former ambassador told reporters – at the end of a meeting with leaders in Caracas -, alluding to what was agreed with the Executive last October.
In this document of electoral guarantees, the parties agreed that, among other entities, the European Union would observe the elections, something that will not happen due to the revocation of the invitation to the community bloc.
For his part, the candidate José Brito considered that “in a normal country” there would be no need to sign agreements recognition of results, because the elections are “transparent” and “majorities respect minorities.”
“If there is a process that is transparent, those who do not owe it do not fear it (…), if there is respect for the participation of citizens, we should not be showing off the signing of this or that agreement,” he said. the deputy, critical of the PUD, during an interview with the channel Globovision.
In addition, legislator Luis Eduardo Martínez has reiterated that he is ready to sign this commitment and “waiting to be summoned” by the National Electoral Council (CNE) to sign that document.
More than 21.6 million Venezuelans are called to participate in these elections, in which Maduro will seek a third consecutive term.
(With information from AFP)
