Venezuela not to allow EU electoral mission in upcoming elections

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
14 Jul 2023 14:54
1 Shares

President and Deputy of Venezuela's National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announces the assembly's decision to prevent foreign intervention in the upcoming elections.

President and Deputy of Venezuela's National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, in a speech on May 4, 2023. (AFP)

The President and Deputy of Venezuela's National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced on Thursday that Caracas will not authorize the EU to get involved in Venezuela's 2024 presidential elections by sending an electoral observation mission to monitor the elections.

The official said during today's session at the assembly that this decision was made concerning the behavior of members of the European Parliament, noting that they have acted rudely by meddling in the country's internal affairs.

"The future of Venezuela is decided by Venezuelans (...) no electoral observation mission from Europe will return here; they will not return because they are rude and colonialist," Rodriguez said, adding that Caracas will "formally tell them that we do not have time to consider their request."

This comes after the European Parliament slammed the alleged "arbitrary and unconstitutional" move to disqualify MPs in the country, which has been plagued for years by US mercenaries.

The EU further called for "fair, free, inclusive, and transparent elections."

Following these accusations, the assembly unanimously approved to pass a resolution aimed at repudiating the fifth Resolution No. (2023/2780/RSP) "On political disqualifications in Venezuela" which was endorsed by the EU.

The last time the EU electoral observation mission partook in the country's elections was in November 2021. Prior to this, the mission had not attended electoral events in Venezuela for 15 years.