MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the humanitarian situation in Venezuela and the migration and refugee crisis
6.7.2020 - (2019/2952(RSP))
pursuant to Rule 132(2) of the Rules of Procedure
Anna Fotyga
on behalf of the ECR Group
B9‑0214/2020
European Parliament resolution on the humanitarian situation in Venezuela and the migration and refugee crisis
The European Parliament,
– having regard to its previous resolutions on the situation in Venezuela,
– having regard to the statement of the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy (VP/HR) of 16 June 2020 on the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) decision of 10 June 2020 regarding the candidates for rectors of the Electoral Council (CNE), the TSJ decision of 12 June appointing the rectors and the decision of 15 June suspending the current board of directors of the political party Acción Democrática,
– having regard to the global COVID-19 pandemic,
– having regard to the statement of 5 January 2020 by the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) on the situation in Venezuela,
– having regard to the statement of 21 December 2019 by the newly appointed VP/HR, Mr Josep Borrell,
– having regard to the declaration of 9 January 2020 by the VP/HR on behalf of the EU on the latest developments on the National Assembly,
– having regard to the decision of the Council of 11 November 2019, extending the sanctions against Venezuela for a year, adopted in light of the current political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, including persistent actions that undermine democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights,
– having regard to the Council decision of 27 September 2019 in which the EU added seven members of the Venezuelan security and intelligence forces involved in torture and other serious human rights violations to the list of individuals subject to sanctions,
– having regard to the report on Venezuela of 4 July 2019 by the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and to the oral update made on the occasion of the 42nd session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva on 9 September 2019,
– having regard to the statement by the VP/HR of 18 June 2019 in which the EU underlines its deep concern over the worsening political and humanitarian situation in Venezuela,
– having regard to the statement by the VP/HR of 4 April 2019 on the decision taken by the non-recognised National Assembly to withdraw Mr Juan Guaidó’s parliamentary immunity,
– having regard to the statements on Venezuela by the VP/HR of 10 January 2019, 26 January 2019, 24 February 2019 and 28 March 2019,
– having regard to the statement by the VP/HR of 2 March 2019 in which the EU insists that any measure that could jeopardise the freedom, security or personal integrity of Mr Guaidó would represent an escalation of tensions and would provoke the firm condemnation of the international community,
– having regard to the International Donors Conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants of 26 May 2020,
– having regard to the decision by the International Contact Group to reject as illegitimate the designation of the new National Electoral Council (CNE) directive by the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ),
– having regard to the decision of the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) of 16 June 2020,
– having regard to the open letter from Mr Guaidó to Mr José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, the former Spanish prime minister, reproaching him and accusing him of ‘legitimising the dictator’s traps to disguise an authentic farce, scheduled for December’,
– having regard to Council Decision (CFSP) 2020/898 of 29 June 2020 amending Decision (CFSP) 2017/2074 concerning restrictive measures in view of the situation in Venezuela,
– having regard to Venezuela’s ratification of the Rome Statute on 7 June 2000,
– having regard to the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
– having regard to Rule 132(2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas Venezuela has been in a deep economic crisis for years now, with hyperinflation being one of the main problems; whereas over the past few months, Venezuela has experienced an escalation of violence and grave violations of human rights led by the illegitimate president, Nicolás Maduro, which is further aggravating the current political, economic, institutional and social humanitarian crisis, with more than five million Venezuelans forced to leave their country, where the population is battling a growing shortage of medicines, water, and food, as well as black-outs, which are causing widespread desperation, and an inherent lack of information due to problems with access to, or a lack of, free media; whereas the global COVID-19 pandemic has contributed drastically to a further worsening of the situation in Venezuela, which has been further aggravated by falling prices, and oil prices in particular;
B. whereas on 26 May 2020, the European Union and the Government of Spain, with the support of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organization for Migration, convened the International Donors Conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants; whereas international donors pledged EUR 2.544 billion, of which only EUR 595 million in direct grants, in aid of the unprecedented crisis; whereas these loans are conditional, aimed at helping with the vast migratory flows of Venezuelans seeking refuge in neighbouring countries; whereas the EUR 595 million will not be sufficient to cope with such an unprecedented crisis, which has spilled over into the neighbouring countries;
C. whereas, according to the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the Venezuelan refugee crisis is the second biggest in the world after Syria; whereas, owing to the gravity of the situation, Colombia has set up a centre for migration at its border with Venezuela, in order to try and manage the migratory influx;
D. whereas these events were preceded by a terror campaign and the so-called Operación Alacrán (Operation Scorpion), and whereas the persecution and political harassment of those who oppose the Maduro regime continues; whereas members of the National Assembly have been stripped of their parliamentary immunity, many have been arrested and others have had to leave the country or become refugees in diplomatic offices; whereas the severe and permanent use of coercion and force, reaffirmed by the will of usurper President Nicolás Maduro, constitutes a clear will to crush every notion and act of legality; whereas to date, the international community is aware of at least 11 Europeans reportedly being detained illegally in Venezuela as political prisoners; whereas since 2014, the number of political prisoners being subjected to torture and inhuman living conditions, exceeds 300;
E. whereas the acts of violence perpetrated by the government of Nicolás Maduro, so as to prevent the re-election of Mr Guaidó as President of the National Assembly in Venezuela, have further escalated a confrontation that has been accelerating more and more over recent years; whereas among the individuals who were stripped of their immunity was Venezuela’s interim President, Mr Guaidó, in a move to undermine the opposition; whereas the Maduro government is still undermining the authority and ability of the legitimate and democratic National Assembly to carry out its role and mandate, as endorsed by the Venezuelan people, effectively and without obstruction; whereas sanctioned countries should provide transparent information, accept international humanitarian assistance and prioritise the needs and rights of the most vulnerable parts of the population, which has been lacking from the Venezuelan Government;
F. whereas on 26 May 2020 the regime-controlled Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) unjustifiably ratified Mr Luis Parra as President of the National Assembly; whereas an illegal session took place in January 2020, where the vast majority of democratic representatives were blocked from being present during the session and consequently casting their votes, in blatant disregard for the proper legal procedures and democratic constitutional principles; whereas such illegal decisions by this regime-led body led the Council of the EU to impose sanctions on an additional 11 officials responsible for this behaviour, including Mr Parra;
G. whereas recent decisions of the Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) have drastically impacted the rule of law and democratic values, including a decision of 10 June giving a 72-hour deadline to the Electoral Nominations Committee established last November within the National Assembly to identify the names of the candidates for rectors of the National Electoral Council (CNE); whereas on 13 June 2020, the regime-led Venezuelan Supreme Court (TSJ) appointed new rectors to the National Electoral Council (CNE) with the sole purpose of creating a regime-friendly electoral authority, thereby violating Venezuelan constitutional law and undermining the credibility of both the CNE and the upcoming electoral process; whereas it then proceeded to suspend the current board of directors of Acción Democrática, one of the main opposition parties and a member of the G4 opposition group, replacing it with an ad-hoc board on 15 June; whereas, in accordance with Articles 187 and 296 of the Venezuelan Constitution, these appointments are the sole and exclusive responsibility of the National Assembly, a body democratically elected by the Venezuelan people; whereas the officials responsible for these decisions have also been added to the EU’s sanction list; whereas on 1 July 2020, in a fraudulent manoeuvre, the illegitimate Maduro government announced parliamentary elections to be held in Venezuela on 6 December;
H. whereas Mr Maduro’s regime has lashed out against the political parties Acción Democrática, Primero Justicia and Un Nuevo Tiempo by means of systematic persecution through rulings of the illegitimate Supreme Court (TSJ) stripping the parties of their current national boards of directors against the will of their members; whereas the democratic political party Voluntad Popular was determined to be a terrorist organisation by the Maduro regime;
I. whereas the Maduro regime continues to support revolutionary and anti-capitalist left-wing movements worldwide; whereas this illicit funding has been received also by political parties and leaders in Europe; whereas on 15 June 2020 the Spanish daily newspaper ABC published classified documents, dating back to 2010, according to which Venezuela’s regime authorised funding for the Movimento 5 Stelle (5 Star Movement) in Italy; whereas Venezuela’s meddling in European elections is not limited to the 5 Star Movement; whereas the Government of Venezuela was reported to have sent a suitcase containing EUR 3.5 million in cash to Mr Gianroberto Casaleggio, the leader of this party;
J. whereas other political parties, such as Podemos in Spain, have been recipients of Venezuelan funds, according to a 2008 report entitled ‘Punto de cuenta al Comandante Presidente de la República Bolivariana de Venezuela’, signed by Hugo Chávez and showing the payment of EUR 7 million to the Fundación CEPS (Centre for Political and Social Studies Foundation);
K. whereas the former ambassador of Spain to Venezuela, Mr Raúl Morodo, who served under the government of José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, is facing bribery and embezzlement charges for allowing the involvement of the Venezuelan regime in national political and electoral affairs throughout his mandate as ambassador, amounting to EUR 35 million;
L. whereas the Council has added 11 leading Venezuelan officials to the list of individuals subject to restrictive measures, i.e. travel bans and asset freezes, because of their role in acts and decisions undermining democracy and the rule of law in Venezuela; whereas additional reasons for these individuals being added to the list included ‘initiating politically motivated prosecutions and creating obstacles to a political and democratic solution to the crisis in Venezuela, as well as serious violations of human rights and restrictions of fundamental freedoms, such as freedom of press and speech’;
M. whereas the Vice-President of Venezuela, Ms Delcy Rodríguez, reportedly arrived at Madrid-Barajas airport on 20 January 2020 with 40 suitcases in the hold of a plane chartered by Sky Valet, despite having been put on the list of individuals subject to sanctions adopted by the Council in 2018, preventing her from entering into, or transiting through, the territory of the EU; whereas the Spanish Minister for Transport has given up to six different versions of this incident;
N. whereas the US last year warned ‘bankers, brokers, traders and facilitators’ not to deal in ‘gold, oil or other Venezuelan commodities stolen from the Venezuelan people by the Maduro mafia’; whereas the Maduro government turned to selling off some of the gold reserves kept at the central bank in Venezuela to its allies in Turkey, Russia and the United Arab Emirates; whereas Mr Alex Saab – a key figure in the Maduro network and a close ally, who has been charged with bribing Venezuelan officials and funnelling more than USD 350 million to overseas accounts and suspected of helping Mr Maduro orchestrate a deal with Iran to obtain oil, workers and supplies for Venezuela in exchange for 9 tons of gold, worth USD 500 million – was arrested in Cape Verde on 12 June; whereas already in 2018 Mr Saab was heavily involved in maintaining good relationships between the Venezuelan Maduro regime and Turkey when he was in charge of shipping USD 900 million in gold to the latter, some of which made its way to Tehran in violation of US sanctions; whereas the extradition order requested by US prosecutors to bring Mr Saab to face charges on money laundering in the US has been approved;
O. whereas Mr Maduro, Venezuela’s illegitimate president, ordered the expulsion of the EU Ambassador on 28 June, ordering her to leave the country within 72 hours; whereas he has also threatened the Spanish ambassador with further reprisals and has lashed out at the EU over sanctions imposed on Venezuelan officials of the Maduro regime, accusing the EU of being ‘conspirators’;
P. whereas following the diplomatic crisis arising from the declaration of 29 June by the illegitimate Maduro regime announcing the expulsion of the EU Ambassador from Caracas, an unprecedented joint statement was issued only after the VP/HR, Josep Borrell, had an exchange of views with Mr Jorge Arreaza, a member of the illegal Maduro government, which could be interpreted as recognition of an illegitimate government that the European Union considers not to have supported, in the light of systematic violations of human rights and the democratic, constitutional and transparent functioning of the National Assembly under the legitimate president, Juan Guaidó;
1. Strongly condemns the repressive acts of the Maduro government and calls for a stop to all traces of illegality, the indiscriminate and continuous use of coercion and force, and the repeated reaffirmation of a fraudulent and illegitimate president; expresses its solidarity with the people of Venezuela and those who have fallen victim to the brutal dictatorship of the Maduro regime;
2. Reiterates its utmost concern in view of the escalation of violence and the grave emergency situation being witnessed in Venezuela, with people’s lives under serious threat; reiterates its deep concern at the severe emergency situation, which is profoundly endangering the lives of all Venezuelans; draws attention to the increased migratory crisis across the entire region and praises the efforts and solidarity shown by neighbouring countries;
3. Stresses that the Maduro regime has become the most volatile and significant security and stability threat to the subcontinent, threatening the integrity and stability of its neighbouring countries;
4. Strongly condemns the systematic violations of the democratic, constitutional and transparent functioning of the country, which have accelerated the migratory crisis across the entire region even further, in particular within the context of the fight against the pandemic; praises the efforts and solidarity shown by neighbouring countries; asks the Commission to continue cooperating with these countries, not only by providing humanitarian assistance but also by providing more resources and through development policy; welcomes the pledges and efforts of the International Donors Conference in solidarity with Venezuelan refugees and migrants; stresses, however, that the fact that the biggest pledges are loans and not direct grants is not in line with the intended goals;
5. Strongly rejects the violations of the democratic, constitutional and transparent functioning of the National Assembly, as well as the acts of intimidation, violence and arbitrary decisions against its members; denounces the undemocratic appointment of new members to the National Electoral Council (CNE) and the stripping of parties of their boards of directors against the will of their members; calls for immediate measures to be taken to consolidate the fact that only members appointed by the legitimate interim president of Venezuela, Mr Juan Guaidó, have the legitimate right to exercise Venezuela’s diplomatic representation to the EU, and calls for the EU to investigate the reported cases of Venezuela’s direct interference in European electoral processes;
6. Demands the immediate release of arbitrarily arrested political prisoners, who are reportedly illegally locked up in prisons in terrible conditions and being tortured;
7. Reiterates its full support to the National Assembly, which is the only legitimately elected democratic body of Venezuela and whose powers need to be respected, including the prerogatives and safety of its members; reiterates its acknowledgement that, as a result of the transparent and democratic vote of the National Assembly, Mr Juan Guaidó is the legitimate President of the National Assembly and the legitimate interim President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in accordance with Article 233 of the Venezuelan Constitution; condemns the illegal creation of the so-called ‘new’ electoral authority by the regime-led Supreme Court (TSJ); insists that a peaceful political solution can only be reached if the National Assembly’s constitutional prerogatives are fully respected; stresses that the European Parliament will not recognise any decision nor any ruling that is unilaterally taken by these illegitimate bodies;
8. Strongly condemns the fact that the integrity, credibility and transparency of electoral processes are being repeatedly undermined by the Maduro regime, especially following a multitude of cases of manipulation, numerous irregularities and fraud in various elections in Latin American democracies, which have provoked protests and clashes leading to countless fatalities of innocent civilians; denounces the undemocratic appointment of new members to the National Electoral Council (CNE);
9. Recalls that respect for democratic institutions and principles and the upholding of the rule of law are essential conditions for finding a solution to the crisis in Venezuela for the benefit of its people; therefore urgently calls for the creation of conditions leading to free, transparent and credible presidential and legislative elections based on a fixed calendar, fair conditions for all actors, transparency and the presence of credible international observers as the only way out of the crisis;
10. Stresses the need for effective and immediate measures against the Venezuela-Iran alliance, whose maximum expression is Hezbollah’s abuse of Venezuela as a platform for activities and strategic expansionism throughout Latin America through the use of numerous illegal activities, including money laundering; recalls Tehran’s blatant violation of the arms embargo in sending five fuel tankers to Venezuela in the context of strategic expansionism and resulting in a push-back from the US;
11. As with Iran, expresses great concern over Russia’s support for the Venezuelan pro-Maduro regime and, in particular, the dispatching of experts, including military and technical advisers;
12. Expresses its concern also at the fact that police forces and the military intelligence service of Cuba are the strategic element that has made it possible for Mr Maduro’s illegal regime to persist, which constitutes intolerable foreign political and military interference in Venezuela;
13. Is concerned by the fact that Ms Delcy Rodríguez, while being subject to the EU’s restrictive measures, was able to enter the Schengen area last February and meet with the Spanish authorities; requests that the VP/HR address the Spanish authorities demanding a thorough and transparent investigation and explanation of these facts;
14. Supports the recent Council decision to add 11 new names to the EU’s sanctions list, which does no harm to the Venezuelan population, and calls for these to be increased in order to help stabilise the situation of human rights and democracy in the country, which currently only continues to deteriorate; urges that the EU authorities must consequently enforce the restriction of movement and freezing of assets of any individuals placed on the sanctions list; is deeply concerned about the corruption scandal involving Spanish Ambassador Mr Raul Modoro and the other actors involved in the wider corruption scandal and urges that this case and all other relevant cases must be brought before the competent courts and those responsible brought to justice;
15. Is greatly concerned by the decision of Mr Maduro to expel the EU Ambassador from Caracas as a form of retaliation over the sanctions against 11 Venezuelan officials responsible for serious human rights violations;
16. Denounces the rampant corruption that has become an integral part of the Maduro regime; is concerned about the reported direct foreign funding of EU political parties by the Maduro regime and calls for prompt and impartial investigations into these cases; further condemns all actions carried out in neighbouring and other Latin American countries by actors on behalf of the Maduro regime with the purpose of destabilising democracy and the rule of law, in addition to the worsening of the overall crisis;
17. Calls for the immediate release of all political prisoners and an end to the torture, ill-treatment and harassment of political opponents, human rights activists and peaceful protesters, and for the return of those who have been unfairly forced into exile;
18. Fully supports the International Criminal Court (ICC) investigations into the extensive crimes, extrajudicial killings and acts of repression perpetrated by the Venezuelan regime; urges the EU to join the initiative of several ICC State Parties to investigate the crimes against humanity committed by the illegitimate Maduro government in order to hold those responsible to account;
19. Requests that a fact-finding mission be dispatched to the country in order to assess the situation;
20. 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 legitimate interim President of the Republic and National Assembly of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, the governments and parliaments of the Lima Group countries, the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly and the Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States.