Lula and Macron want to end sanctions if Venezuela has “fair elections”

Venezuelan government

Allied presidents mediated a meeting between the vice president of Venezuela and the leader of the opposition, during the Celac-EU summit in Brussels

After a meeting with government and opposition representatives in Venezuela, presidents Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) and Emmanuel Macron (France), as well as other South American leaders, published a statement in which they defend the lifting of sanctions on Venezuela , provided the country has “fair, transparent and inclusive” elections in 2024.

The mediated meeting, last Monday (17), brought together the vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, and the leader of the opposition in the country, Gerardo Blyde. The agenda took place on the margins of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (Celac) with the European Union, in Brussels, Belgium.

This Tuesday (18), heads of state published a common official declaration, which provides for the “international follow-up” of the election.

“They made an appeal for a political negotiation that leads to the organization of fair, transparent and inclusive elections for all, which allow the participation of all, in accordance with the law and international treaties in force, with international follow-up”,

says the text.

“This process must be accompanied by a suspension of sanctions, of all types, with a view to their complete suspension”, he continues.

Also participating in the meeting were Presidents Alberto Fernández (Argentina) and Gustavo Petro (Colombia) and the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell.

“The Heads of State and the High Representative agreed that the relaunch of relations between the EU and CELAC represents an opportunity to work together towards resolving the Venezuelan situation.”

According to the communiqué, the presidents of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and France, as well as the European high representative, “expressed solidarity with the countries that welcome Venezuelan citizens and “urged the government and the opposition to resume dialogue and negotiations with the aim of reaching an agreement. an agreement, among the items on the agenda, on the conditions for the next elections”.

Since taking office in January, Lula has defended the resumption of diplomatic relations with the neighboring country. He received President Nicolás Maduro in Brasilia last June, when he caused discomfort with Latin American peers by saying that the Venezuelan situation is an anti-democratic “narrative”..

During the meeting, this Monday in Brussels, the situation in Venezuela and the country’s international relations were the topic of the agenda, which lasted about an hour and a half.

On the occasion, President Lula once again said that the country is responsible for resolving its own problems. “Only Venezuelans can solve the country’s problem,” said the PT.

The presidential elections in Venezuela next year are cause for international concern. This is because three of the main candidates to oppose the current head of state, Nicolás Maduro, were prevented from running for the election. Maduro also prohibited international organizations from accompanying the elections to attest to the fairness of the process.

According to the Itamaraty, the Brazilian attitude towards the Venezuelan situation is constant openness to dialogue and joint efforts to guarantee clean elections next year.

*With information from Metrópoles

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