EU urges greater transparency in Venezuela, but says new sanctions are ‘premature’
The European Union (EU) has joined the growing chorus of voices demanding greater transparency in Venezuela to determine the legitimate winner of the presidential elections held on Sunday. For Brussels, it is “marred by numerous flaws and irregularities.” In a statement on Monday evening, Josep Borrell, the EU’s foreign policy chief, called on the National Electoral Council (CNE) to “exercise maximum transparency in the process of results tabulation, including the granting of immediate access to the voting records of each polling station and the publication of disaggregated election results.”
Despite the calls for transparency, the EU has deemed the suggestion of new sanctions for Venezuela “premature” at this stage. A spokesperson emphasized the need to “find a way out of the political crisis.” Discussions among member states are ongoing. The EU is engaging with national, regional, and international partners to assess the election process. But also to decide on potential next steps. However, any discussion or decision regarding sanctions is confidential and considered premature.
Contested results
The CNE, controlled by government allies, declared Nicolás Maduro the winner with 51.2% of the votes. Opposition candidate Edmundo González received 44.2%. González and his political alliance, the Unitary Platform, have vigorously disputed the results. They claim that the numbers released by the CNE do not match opinion polls and statistical estimates. The opposition asserts that they have 73% of the tally sheets, showing González obtained 3.5 million more votes than Maduro. González told supporters, “We have in our hands the tally sheets that demonstrate our categorical and mathematically irreversible victory.”
The elections were considered one of the most peaceful in recent memory. However, the aftermath has grown increasingly tense, with protesters clashing with the police. Opposition supporters viewed Sunday’s ballot as the most credible chance to end 25 years of single-party rule. Maduro condemned the discontent, accusing the United States of attempting to impose a coup. “An attempt is being made to impose a coup d’état in Venezuela again of a fascist and counter-revolutionary nature,” he said.
Hungary’s veto
One significant issue is the CNE’s refusal to release detailed results from each precinct. They could cross-reference the nationwide numbers. Hungary blocked a joint EU statement denouncing “irregularities” in Venezuela’s presidential election. That led Borrell to publish his own statement. The EU official noted that Hungary’s veto, similar to a previous instance involving a statement against the Kremlin, complicates future efforts to strengthen sanctions against Maduro’s regime.
Borrell stated that the results of the elections could not be considered representative of the will of the people of Venezuela until all official records from polling stations are published and verified. He called for calm and urged security forces to respect human rights, including the right to peaceful assembly. The EU’s statement highlighted several “obstacles” and “unequal conditions” in the electoral process, such as arbitrary detentions and intimidation of opposition members, deficiencies in voter registration, and imbalanced media access.
The EU continues to push for greater transparency and verification of the Venezuelan election results while maintaining that discussions about new sanctions are premature. The situation remains delicate as the EU navigates internal disagreements and engages with international partners to address the political crisis in Venezuela.
