MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the situation in Venezuela
2.5.2018 - (2018/2695(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 123(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Javier Couso Permuy, Luke Ming Flanagan, Nikolaos Chountis, Kostadinka Kuneva, Stelios Kouloglou, João Ferreira, João Pimenta Lopes, Miguel Viegas, Eleonora Forenza, Neoklis Sylikiotis, Takis Hadjigeorgiou, Ángela Vallina on behalf of the GUE/NGL Group
The European Parliament,
– having regard to Chapter 1, Article 1(2) of the UN Charter of 1945, with its stated purpose ‘to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to take other appropriate measures to strengthen universal peace’,
– having regard to the principle of non-intervention laid down in the UN Charter,
– having regard to Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Article 1 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, both of which state that ‘all peoples have the right of self-determination’ and that ‘by virtue of that right they freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development’,
– having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948,
– having regard to the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of 1961,
– having regard to all the bi-regional declarations adopted by Heads of State and Government at EU-CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States) summits since Rio de Janeiro in 1999, including the declaration of 27 January 2013, in which the signatories reaffirmed their commitment to all the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations and their support for all efforts to uphold the sovereign equality of all states and to respect their territorial integrity and political independence,
– having regard to the proclamation of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace, agreed at the CELAC summits held in Havana, Cuba, on 28 and 29 January 2014, Belen, Costa Rica in 2015 and Quito, Ecuador in 2016,
– having regard to the previous statements on the situation in Venezuela by Mercosur, UNASUR and CELAC, in particular those declarations of rejection of the US’ unilateral coercive measures against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
– having regard to the previous statements by the Vice-President of the Commission/ High Representative of the European Union for Foreign and Security Policy on Venezuela,
– having regard to the previous resolutions of the European Parliament on Venezuela,
– having regard to Rule 123(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has denounced several times the external interference, destabilisation, disinformation campaigns, manipulation of public opinion and violence promoted by some sectors of the opposition against the sovereignty, independence, peace and democratic stability of the country and against the Venezuelan people;
B. whereas the EU has made several statements with the intention of interfering with and conditioning the internal situation in Venezuela;
C. whereas participation in the presidential election scheduled for 20 May should take place under equal, fair and transparent conditions, supervised by a balanced National Electoral Council and have sufficient guarantees for all participants, including the presence of independent international observers by invitation of the relevant Venezuelan authorities;
D. whereas a round of discussions, better known as the Santo Domingo Round Table, between the Venezuelan Government and its opponents, was held from December 2017 through February 2018; whereas the President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina, spearheaded the negotiations, with the mediation of the former Head of the Spanish Government, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, and Latin American foreign ministers;
E. whereas opposition representatives abstained from signing the final agreement prepared at the Round Table, albeit approved by Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro;
F. whereas a second agreement was executed, under the aegis of the National Electoral Council (CNE), by political parties and candidates running for president;
G. whereas both agreements contain the requirements from opposition political parties, on the understanding that many such requirements have long formed part of the system of voting assurances and been subject to enforcement by the CNE;
1. Recognises the right of the Venezuelan people to participate in the presidential election scheduled for 20 May according to their internal electoral rules and procedures and their constitution, free of any external conditions and interference;
2. Strongly condemns the ongoing external interference and the political, economic and social destabilisation against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and also condemns the internal confrontation and destabilisation promoted by some sectors of the opposition supported by the EU and the US;
3. Insists that the continued pursuance of an interventionist strategy against the sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is far from creating space for dialogue and peace;
4. Insists on dialogue and understanding between the parties;
5. Reaffirms the right of the Venezuelan people to decide in sovereignty and peace on their path of development, free from any external interference or pressure;
6. Condemns the decision of the US and the EU to keep imposing severe economic and financial sanctions against Venezuela and its people;
7. Calls on political actors outside Venezuela to avoid using the situation in the country for national political purposes;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, the parliaments and governments of the Member States, the Government and authorities of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly and the Latin American regional bodies including UNASUR, ALBA and CELAC.