Selloff or Market Correction? Either Way, Here's What to Do NextSee Overvalued Stocks

Venezuela will not allow EU election observers for 2024 vote -lawmaker

Published 07/13/2023, 05:23 PM
Updated 07/13/2023, 05:26 PM
© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Venezuelan National Assembly's President Jorge Rodriguez exits after the opening of the 2023 legislative period, in Caracas, Venezuela January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela's government will not allow election observers from the European Union to serve during its 2024 presidential elections, a top ruling party lawmaker said on Thursday.

President Nicolas Maduro is expected to run in the contest next year, while the opposition is planning to hold a primary in October to chose a unity candidate.

The opposition has long decried what it says are undemocratic conditions for elections and several of its top primary candidates have already been barred by the government from holding public office.

"I tell you Josep Borrell, there won't be any observation mission from Europe while we are the representatives of the Venezuelan state. They will not come," Jorge Rodriguez, president of the government-allied National Assembly said during the body's regular Thursday session, referring to the European Union's foreign policy chief.

Rodriguez accused the EU of violating a deal signed with the Venezuelan government and observers of being "representatives of an archaic, murderous, imperial Europe."

The EU's delegation in Caracas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A EU observation mission said after the country's 2021 regional elections that electoral conditions had improved in comparison to previous votes, but that Venezuela must reinforce its separation of powers, especially the independence of its judicial branch.

Maduro, whose 2018 re-election was decried by many in the international community as fraudulent, branded the observers spies.

© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Venezuelan National Assembly's President Jorge Rodriguez exits after the opening of the 2023 legislative period, in Caracas, Venezuela January 5, 2023. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo

Prior to the 2021 elections, the EU had not sent electoral observers to Venezuela since 2006.

Some members of the opposition criticized the participation of EU observers, arguing their presence implicitly legitimized the elections.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.