Venezuela: Statement by High Representative Josep Borrell on the developments after the Presidential Elections

I am following the situation in Venezuela with great concern after last Sunday's presidential elections.

To date, the National Electoral Council of Venezuela (CNE) has only presented election results corresponding to 80% of the vote count, without providing any source or system that would allow for their verification. With this partial, unverifiable result, the CNE has proceeded to declare Nicolás Maduro the winner of the election. In a democracy, election results must be complete and independently verifiable in order to be recognised.

Furthermore, the data that the opposition has made available to the public offers a radically different result from the one announced by the CNE.

I reiterate that the Venezuelan authorities must guarantee the transparency and integrity of the electoral process by independently verifying the official voting records ("actas") of polling stations.

The European Union urges the CNE to provide immediate access to the voting records of all polling stations. Until voting records are made public and are verified, the election results as already declared cannot be recognised.

The people of Venezuela have endured an unprecedented economic, political and social crisis for many years. The EU has always argued that the way out of this crisis is through elections and that remains the only solution.

In these difficult times, it is important that demonstrations and protests are peaceful. The security forces must ensure full respect for human rights, in particular the right to protest and the right to freedom of assembly.

It is important that demonstrations and protests are peaceful. The security forces must ensure full respect for human rights, in particular the right to protest and the right to freedom of assembly.