The European Parliament,

–  having regard to its previous resolutions on Venezuela, in particular that of 19 September 2024 on the situation in Venezuela(1),

–  having regard to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to other UN human rights treaties and instruments,

–  having regard to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,

–  having regard to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC),

–  having regard to the Venezuelan Constitution,

–  having regard to the statements of the Carter Center of 30 July 2024 on the Venezuelan election, and of 2 October 2024 legitimising the electoral records presented by the democratic opposition,

–  having regard to the detailed findings of the independent international fact-finding mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela of 14 October 2024,

–  having regard to the report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of 27 December 2024 on human rights violations following the elections in Venezuela,

–  having regard to the statement of 10 January 2025 by the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy on behalf of the European Union on the events of 10 January 2025,

–  having regard to the statement of 15 January 2025 by the Spokesperson of the European External Action Service (EEAS) on recent decisions by the Venezuelan authorities,

–  having regard to the Partial Agreement on the Promotion of Political Rights and Electoral Guarantees for All, signed by Nicolás Maduro’s regime and the Venezuelan opposition alliance, the Unitary Platform, in October 2023 (the Barbados Agreement),

–  having regard to Rule 136(2) and (4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A.  whereas on 28 July 2024, the Venezuelan people voted peacefully and in large numbers to determine the future of their country, demonstrating outstanding civic and democratic behaviour; whereas after voting closed, the regime-controlled National Electoral Council (CNE) refused to publish the official record of electoral records (‘actas’) and falsified the results of the election, announcing the false victory of Maduro; whereas millions of Venezuelans voted for democratic change by supporting Edmundo González Urrutia by a significant majority (67,05 % of votes cast), according to publicly available copies of electoral records corroborated by the only credible and impartial international observers, the UN mission and the Carter Center;

B.  whereas in the aftermath of the election, peaceful protests took place across the country to contest the fraudulent display by the Maduro regime; whereas these protests were met with extreme violence and repression, resulting in at least 23 deaths and over 2 500 arrests and enforced disappearances, including of approximately 120 children; whereas Venezuelan non-governmental organisations have reported that, as of 1 January 2025, there are at least 1 697 political prisoners in the country;

C.  whereas several foreign nationals, including EU citizens, remain under arrest on false charges of ‘destabilisation’;

D.  whereas the democratic opposition to the regime faced ongoing persecution even before the elections of 28 July 2024, but this harassment has escalated significantly since then, in particular through enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests; whereas María Corina Machado remains forced to live clandestinely because of threats against her life and Edmundo González Urrutia was forced to flee the country with his family as a result of serious threats; whereas since 20 March 2024, six close collaborators of Vente Venezuela have sought refuge in the Argentinian embassy in Caracas, where they continue to face increasing pressure and harassment by the Venezuelan security forces;

E.  whereas human rights violations continue, including arbitrary detentions, excessive use of force, unlawful killings, enforced disappearances, harassment, persecution and prosecution of citizens exercising their right to peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as well as violations of due process; whereas in addition to the political and institutional crisis, Venezuela is experiencing a deep economic, social and demographic crisis that is severely affecting the lives of its citizens;

F.  whereas on 19 September 2024, Parliament recognised Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate and democratically elected President of Venezuela and María Corina Machado as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela; whereas other democratic states in the region and throughout the world have recognised González as President-elect; whereas he should have been sworn in on 10 January 2025; whereas on 17 December 2024, Parliament awarded the 2024 Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought to María Corina Machado, as the leader of the democratic forces in Venezuela, and to President-elect Edmundo González Urrutia, representing all Venezuelans inside and outside the country fighting for the reinstitution of freedom and democracy;

G.  whereas just days before 10 January 2025, the regime kidnapped Edmundo González’s son-in-law Rafael Tudares and his whereabouts remain unknown; whereas, in the same way, the regime harassed María Corina Machado’s mother in her own house; whereas many other politicians and staff of the democratic opposition to the regime have also faced persecution, arbitrary arrests and enforced disappearances, including presidential candidate Enrique Márquez;

H.  whereas on 9 January 2025, the Venezuelan people, led by María Corina Machado, protested in the streets against Nicolás Maduro’s latest attempt to illegitimately seize power; whereas María Corina Machado was abducted by the regime’s forces while attempting to leave the protest, and was later released, in a blatant act of targeted intimidation and harassment that received widespread international condemnation;

I.  whereas on 10 January 2025, dictator Nicolás Maduro illegitimately took power in a fraudulent act, without any democratic legitimacy and verifiable evidence of electoral integrity; whereas the ceremony was attended by no democratically elected head of state or government; whereas the borders of the country were closed and the airspace was heavily guarded, which prevented Edmundo González Urrutia from travelling to Venezuela;

J.  whereas since the fraudulent and illegitimate seizure of power, the Maduro regime has ordered the diplomatic presence of some EU Member States to be considerably reduced, in an arbitrary manner, which the regime justifies as being in response to ‘the hostile behaviour of the governments of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, France, and Italy, characterised by their support for extremist groups and their interference in internal affairs’;

K.  whereas according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), around eight million Venezuelans have left the country since 2014, the largest exodus in Latin America’s recent history and one of the largest displacement crises in the world;

L.  whereas on 10 January 2025, the Council decided to adopt a new package of targeted sanctions against 15 individuals responsible for undermining democracy, the rule of law or human rights in Venezuela;

1.  Condemns in the strongest possible terms the usurpation of the presidency by Nicolás Maduro and highlights that his regime is illegitimate and his usurpation of the presidency constitutes an unlawful attempt to remain in power by force;

2.  Recalls that on the basis of the electoral records submitted by the democratic opposition to the regime and as stated by the independent international organisations present at the elections on 28 July 2024, namely the United Nations mission and the Carter Center, Parliament recognised Edmundo González Urrutia as the legitimate winner of the presidential elections, a victory acknowledged by the EU and its Member States;

3.  Reiterates its call in its resolution of September 2024, and also expressed on numerous occasions by the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on the regime-controlled CNE to publish the electoral records of the elections of 28 July 2024;

4.  Coincides with the Member States that the Venezuelan regime has missed a key opportunity to respect the will of the people and ensure a transparent democratic transition in the country and that as a result Maduro lacks any democratic legitimacy and therefore Parliament does not recognise him;

5.  Welcomes the statement of the High Representative on behalf of the EU Member States recognising the victory of Edmundo González Urrutia by a significant majority, and Parliament considers that he should have taken the presidential oath on 10 January 2025; also welcomes the commitment by the EU to continue to address the urgent needs of the people of Venezuela, who are suffering the consequences of the long humanitarian crisis;

6.  Commends the democratic opposition’s resilience and the Venezuelan people’s commitment to democracy in the face of repression and adversity; reiterates that respecting the will of the Venezuelan people as expressed in the elections remains the only way for Venezuela to restore democracy, allowing for a peaceful and genuine transition, and to solve the current humanitarian and socio-economic crisis; urges the Venezuelan regime to revoke the unjustified arrest warrant issued for Edmundo González Urrutia;

7.  Welcomes the recent Council decision of 10 January 2025 to extend the targeted sanctions to 15 additional individuals; calls for these sanctions to be strengthened and expanded to include Nicolás Maduro, his inner circle and their families, including Jorge Rodríguez and Vladimir Padrino López, and all those responsible for violations of human rights, the illegitimate assertion of authority, the usurpation of official functions and all repressive acts in Venezuela;

8.  Expresses concern for Alberto Trentini, an Italian citizen and a volunteer for the non-governmental organisation Humanity & Inclusion that helps people with disabilities, who was arrested by the Venezuelan authorities on 15 November 2024 during a humanitarian mission and of whom there has been no news since his arrest; highlights that Mr Trentini also suffers from health problems and does not have medicines or any basic necessities with him;

9.  Further condemns the persecution perpetrated by the regime against the democratic opposition to the regime and the Venezuelan people, as well as against many EU citizens who have been arbitrarily detained and remain unjustly imprisoned; calls for an end to the systematic pattern of human rights violations; demands the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners and arbitrarily detained persons; demands that the Maduro regime cease its policy of human rights abuses and violations and hold those responsible to account, and that it ensure that all fundamental freedoms and human rights are fully respected;

10.  Fully supports the ICC investigations into the Venezuelan regime’s extensive crimes and acts of repression;

11.  Urges the EU, its Member States and all democratic regional and international actors to unconditionally align, as a moral duty, with the democratic forces of Venezuela and to do their utmost to restore democracy in the country in order to show solidarity with and respect for the Venezuelan people and their legitimate will and right to live in freedom and peace in a democratic system; reaffirms its unwavering commitment to the Venezuelan people and to defending democracy, the rule of law and human rights; stands in solidarity with Venezuela’s democratic forces;

12.  Welcomes the return to Caracas of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR); believes that the OHCHR, the UN Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Venezuela, the ICC and relevant regional mechanisms should operate freely and without interference;

13.  Draws attention to the fact that the illegitimate seizure of power by Maduro has exacerbated a pre-existing dire humanitarian crisis, which had already driven over eight million Venezuelans to seek refuge abroad, and will likely force even more to flee, leading to renewed and escalating migratory pressure that will be felt most acutely in the direct neighbourhood of Venezuela; recalls that the situation of Venezuelan refugees and migrants demands long-term solutions; recognises the numerous efforts by neighbouring countries to provide not only food and housing, but also regular legal documentation, schooling and medical support; calls for the EU to do its utmost to assist Venezuelans leaving their country in line with international standards and existing legal pathways;

14.  Deplores the decision of January 2025 by the Venezuelan authorities to substantially reduce the accredited diplomatic staff of several Member States in Caracas and urges the immediate reversal of this unacceptable unilateral action;

15.  Believes that in the disjunction between democracy and dictatorship, there is no room for ambiguity or middle ground, as one is either on the side of the democrats and those that suffer from repression, or on the side of the dictators;

16.  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 EU-Community of Latin American and Caribbean States summit participants, the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, the Organization of American States, the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the authorities of the Venezuelan regime.

(1) OJ C, C/2024/7215, 10.12.2024, ELI: http://data.europa.eu/eli/C/2024/7215/oj.