BRUSSELS.- The European Union (EU) is evaluating the possibility of sending an electoral observation mission to Venezuela for the upcoming presidential elections on July 28. According to various diplomatic sources, there is general optimism regarding this option, despite the fact that the Venezuelan electoral process has imperfections.
The High Representative of the EU for Foreign Policy, Joseph Borrell, is in charge of the final decision, which is expected to be discussed at the next monthly meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels. Sources indicate that there is no significant opposition within the European bloc towards the deployment of observers, and it is believed that this initiative could encourage greater electoral participation and mitigate possible abuses by Venezuelan authorities.
The political context in Venezuela presents a competitive scenario, with the participation of the main opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, who has received unanimous support from the opposition in his challenge to the re-election of Nicolás Maduro, who seeks to remain in power until 2030.
The EU is finalizing an administrative agreement with the Venezuelan authorities to define the details of the deployment of an observation mission. This process has the support of Spain, which sees the mission as an opportunity to promote “democratic reunion” in Venezuela and advocates a pragmatic approach to facilitate electoral observation.
A crucial aspect for sending the mission is the Venezuelan opposition’s request for the EU to supervise the electoral process. Despite the obstacles imposed by the Maduro regime, such as the disqualification of opposition leader María Corina Machado and her designated replacement, Corina Yoris, the opposition is determined to participate in the elections.
Last April, the EU sent a technical exploratory mission to evaluate the situation in Venezuela and determine whether the necessary conditions to send observers are met. Borrell emphasized the importance of having a presence on the ground during the elections to ensure adequate monitoring of the electoral process, a position that coincides with that of Machado, who requested the presence of international observers to document the reality of the country.
The final decision on sending observers will fall to Borrell, who already had the responsibility of sending an observation mission to the regional and municipal elections in November 2021, despite warnings about the risks and the boycott of the European People’s Party that He left his positions in the mission vacant.
Source: With information from Europa Press
