MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION on the political disqualifications in Venezuela

11.7.2023 - (2023/2780(RSP))

with request for inclusion in the agenda for a debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 144 of the Rules of Procedure

Anna Fotyga, Karol Karski, Angel Dzhambazki, Hermann Tertsch, Andżelika Anna Możdżanowska, Alexandr Vondra, Veronika Vrecionová, Anna Zalewska, Elżbieta Kruk, Adam Bielan, Waldemar Tomaszewski, Witold Jan Waszczykowski, Charlie Weimers, Joachim Stanisław Brudziński
on behalf of the ECR Group

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B9-0331/2023

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B9‑0351/2023

Motion for a European Parliament resolution on the political disqualifications in Venezuela

(2023/2780(RSP))

The European Parliament,

− having regard to its previous resolutions on Venezuela,

− having regard to Rule 144 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas, on 30 June 2023, Maria Corina Machado, one of the candidates to win the Venezuelan opposition's nomination for president, was barred from holding public office for 15 years by the Venezuelan regime;

B. whereas two allies of the Venezuelan regime, Russia and Cuba, maintain close cooperation in military and security matters; whereas this cooperation includes the Wagner Group, which deployed a contingent of soldiers in Venezuela to reinforce the security of President Nicolás Maduro in the face of opposition protests;

C. whereas in recent years Russia has financially backed the Nicolas Maduro’s dictatorial regime with billions of dollars; whereas Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, visited Venezuela recently;

D. whereas the cooperation between Venezuela and Cuba is so close that the Cuban regime has a complete database of all registered Venezuelans, it has access to the identification and migration office and it is aware of every civil and commercial transaction and official registration carried out by Venezuelans; whereas it also manages the software of the public administration and fiber optic networks, and it has detailed information on the national electricity grid, the oil industry, and in-depth knowledge of the country's mineral reserves;

E. whereas in 2021 the US Secretary of State declared that Cuba's support for Nicolás Maduro generates a permissive environment for international terrorists to live in Venezuela;

F. whereas in May 2021, the Group of Experts of the US Congress affirmed that Venezuela and Cuba are governed by authoritarian regimes that repress the political opposition and the human rights defenders; whereas both regimes are characterized by politically-controlled judicial systems, corruption and high levels of crime and violence;

1. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the disqualification of Maria Corina Machado and urges the Venezuelan regime to immediately lift her ban to hold public office, as well as the ones of other political candidates;

2. Requests the unconditional and immediate release of all the political prisoners unjustly and arbitrarily imprisoned by the Venezuelan regime;

3. Deplores the continuous repression by the Venezuelan regime against political opposition figures and civil society;  reiterates its firm and unconditional support for the Venezuelan people;

4. Deplores Venezuela's alignment with Russia, Cuba, Nicaragua and other dictatorial regimes;

5. Considers that Venezuela should not participate in the upcoming EU-CELAC summit; calls on the EU-CELAC summit to issue a statement demanding the due respect for human rights in Venezuela;

6. Fully supports the ICC investigations into the extensive crimes and acts of repression perpetrated by the Venezuelan regime; calls for the EU to support the initiative of the ICC States Parties to open an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity committed by the Maduro regime, in order to hold those responsible to account;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the VP/HR, and the Secretary-General of the Organization of American States.