The European Union will meet for the first time on Thursday (7.02.2019) in the capital city of Uruguay to the international contact group for Venezuela, announced on 31 December, with the aim of facilitating a solution to the Venezuelan crisis to through the holding of new presidential elections with all the necessary guarantees.
Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Sweden, Netherlands and United Kingdom, the EU, as well as Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Bolivia by Latin America involved in the contact group, although the Union still hopes that Mexico will accept added.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, Josep Borrell, will attend the ministerial meeting in Montevideo, this Thursday, organized jointly by the High Representative for foreign policy and security policy of the EU, Federica Mogherini,-the President of Uruguay, Tabaré Vázquez. Not all countries will be represented at the level of Ministers, according to European sources, which have clarified that the appointment will come not or representatives of the Government of the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, nor the self-proclaimed team have advanced Acting President, Juan Guaidó.
The Spanish Government, which had been months trying to promote this group within the EU, is confident that, in this new situation, this mechanism serves to put into practice international support to credible and transparent presidential elections in accordance with international standards, which are the only way of peaceful and democratic solution, explained a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs consulted by Europa Press.
Juan Guaidó, self-proclaimed interim President of Venezuela.
Reinforcement of humanitarian response to Venezuela also hopes that the Group serve countries strengthening the humanitarian response to the crisis which the country before elections and, given the gravity of the situation, possibly later. Thus, Spain rejected the interpretation that the contact group can serve to give oxygen to Nicolas Maduro – as fear Venezuelan parties and the Lima group – drawing, but it wants to serve to enforce the call for elections in the shortest time possible.
Mogherini already made it clear that the group, which will be coordinated by the European Union and has with countries that have recognized to Juan Guaidó as Acting President to call new elections and others that do not, will have “limited” 90-day mandate to promote “a common understanding and approach between key international actors”, with the aim of achieving a”peaceful and democratic”solution to the Venezuelan crisis.
The head of European diplomacy has made it clear that last is time, if not results, it will end its work. “In the absence of sufficient progress will you finish”, he said. “Time is not the aim of the exercise, it is to accompany the country (…) towards a peaceful and democratic election”, he said on 31 January announcing the group, making it clear that any group will make mediation.
The President of the National Assembly, Juan Guaidó, has estimated that the elections could be convened in six or nine months, a period much longer than the term of the contact group. From now on, it is to see what period is necessary to make the elections with full guarantees, including release of political prisoners and the participation of migrants.
In addition, the EU expects “a gesture” of Caracas in these 90 days as the release of political prisoners and the restitution of the powers of the National Assembly to not put an end to his work, conscious that the exit from the crisis in Venezuela will require more time.
Common understanding, first of all at an early stage, members will try to forge “a common understanding of the situation”, “parameters for a peaceful resolution of the crisis and the possible ways to help the country find a peaceful solution and” democratic through credible elections”.
This will work with other international and regional actors including those who have “ability to influence over parties in Venezuela” and could be invited to future meetings of the group “as observers”. The EU has already highlighted its intention to keep “closely associated” process to the Vatican, but also countries such as Norway, Switzerland and United States.
Nicolas Maduro, President of Venezuela.
In a second phase the group will seek to identify “the steps required and measures to build confidence” so that “all national actors involved seriously” in a “credible” process that allows “immediate holding of free and fair elections” and to promote “minimum conditions” as the release of political prisoners and the veto to the participation of the opposition in elections, the creation of an Electoral Commission with a “balanced” membership and the facilitation of access to assistance humanitarian external.
The group could assist in a third phase – if the minimum conditions – have been met could support “credible politician for a transition process” and assistance in specific areas, although the own Mogherini did not exclude that if there is “substantial” results, the UN can “exercise its good offices”.
Mogherini acknowledged however has no “particular” hopes in the process and that the block assumes “a big risk” but has “responsibility” to try to contribute to a “peaceful” solution to the “risks of the use of force”, both inside and outside of the country, something that the EU sees priority to avoid.
“The international contact group still has value. It is still more urgent now than ever. Remains a valid tool to avoid the risks of internal violence or external intervention”, said a senior official from the EU, which admits that there are” no guarantees”of success. That Yes, block is necessary to keep the pressure on the regime of Maduro at the same time trying to facilitate a peaceful solution to the Venezuelan crisis.
“The pressure must be part of our strategy because the regime needs to understand that the status quo is not acceptable. We’ve already sanctioned to 18 senior and not exclude add more, but we avoid measures affecting the population”, said the source. The group will hold meetings at different levels, including technical and ministerial level and there will be follow-up to the conclusions of the ministerial meetings work.
