Verbatim report of proceedings

Tuesday, 16 July 2019 - Strasbourg

Situation in Venezuela (debate)

  David Lega (PPE). – Mr President, I would like to say to the High Representative that the evil of communism has many faces. In Venezuela that face is Nicolás Maduro, who has torn this previously so wealthy country into pieces. According to the IMF, the country’s inflation rate is projected to hit 10 million per cent by the end of 2019, and at home Venezuelans are starving to death. When taking to the streets they are being gunned down by Maduro’s security forces. To survive, some five million people will have fled the country by the end of this year, according to the United Nations.

Venezuelans have been brought to their knees but they are not defeated. Juan Guaidó is their legitimate interim president, and this very European Parliament, and a majority of Member States, have recognised him as such. Still, quite a few Members and Member States keep supporting Maduro’s illegitimate regime, and by doing so they legitimise Maduro’s loathsome crimes against the courageous people of Venezuela. For that they will go down in history, although probably not quite in the way that they were hoping for.

So I agree with my PPE colleagues, High Representative, that you need to take the lead on EU policy in Venezuela. Maduro must be held accountable for his hideous crimes.