Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees: The voices of the Venezuelan people cannot be silenced by fraud

NordenBladet —

The Chairs referred to the available evidence and statements from independent electoral observers to declare in their statement that they did not recognise the National Electoral Council’s (CNE) fraudulent declaration that Nicolás Maduro had won the re-election. “We strongly condemn the ongoing attempts in Venezuela to undermine the will of the voters and repress the Venezuelan people following Sunday’s election,” the Chairs said.

“We call on the Maduro regime to allow for transparent, independent verification of the electoral results immediately. The regime’s deliberate efforts to undermine the country’s electoral process — by failing to adhere to international standards of electoral integrity, restricting the freedoms of opposition political actors and the media, and harassing and intimidating those connected to the opposition’s campaign, as documented by the Carter Center’s electoral observation mission—are unacceptable and must be condemned,” they said.

The Chairs emphasised that ending the violent repression of Venezuelans and the persecution of opposition leaders Maria Corina Machado, Edmundo González, and their teams was an urgent imperative, as was the urgent need for negotiations between the Maduro regime and Edmundo González to ensure a peaceful and democratic transition of power. “Our governments are closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, and will work together to hold Maduro accountable should he continue to disregard the democratic will of Venezuelan voters to steal yet another election.”

The statement evoked the fact that the democratic opposition had released an estimated 80% of the paper vote tallies from across the nation, revealing a resounding electoral victory for Edmundo González. “This data is a representation of the voices of the Venezuelan people—voices that cannot be silenced by fraud or intimidation. The National Electoral Council’s refusal to provide transparent documentation only deepens the crisis of legitimacy surrounding the Maduro regime. It is critical that these voices, so clearly and courageously articulated through the ballot box, are honored, and that the democratic process in Venezuela is fully restored,” the signatories added.

The statement has been signed by the Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees from Armenia, Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and the United States. The Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu Marko Mihkelson signed the statement on behalf of Estonia.

Riigikogu Press Service
Merilin Kruuse
+372 631 6592; +372 510 6179
merilin.kruuse@riigikogu.ee
Questions: press@riigikogu.ee

Link uudisele: Chairs of Foreign Affairs Committees: The voices of the Venezuelan people cannot be silenced by fraud

Source: Parliament of Estonia