The European Union has worked with Venezuelan and international partners for a peaceful and democratic Venezuelan-led solution to end the long-lasting political and social crisis. Credible, transparent and inclusive presidential elections in 2024 are a key part to that solution.

In this context, the EU expresses its deep concern with the decisions intended to prevent members of the opposition from exercising their core political rights, as has been the case of María Corina Machado and other political figures.  These decisions undermine democracy and the rule of law and will only deepen the longstanding political and social crisis in Venezuela.

The European Union recalls the 23 recommendations of the 2021 EU Electoral Observation Mission, where a priority recommendation is “to abolish the Comptroller General’s prerogative to strip citizens of their fundamental right to stand for election through an administrative procedure and without a timely notification, which negatively impacts on the right to defence.” We stress once again the importance of making full use of these recommendations to improve electoral conditions in Venezuela.

The European Union will continue to work with international partners and build on international and regional efforts, such as last April’s Bogota Conference on Venezuela, to seek an end to the political, socioeconomic and humanitarian crisis and to contribute to the Venezuelan-led effort to restore democracy, the rule of law and the respect of human rights in Venezuela.