EU Mulls Sending Observers To Venezuelan Polls If 'Minimum Conditions' Met

BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th August, 2020) EU foreign ministers agreed on Friday to help the Venezuelan government find a political solution to its standoff with the opposition, which may include sending an observer mission to the upcoming parliamentary elections.

This comes days after the European Union rejected the invitation by President Nicolas Maduro's administration to send observers to the December 6 election to the opposition-controlled National Assembly and urged for a delay in voting.

"Ministers discussed the EU's willingness to assist all genuine Venezuelan efforts to find a political solution. This could include the deployment of an EU Electoral Observation Mission, if there were minimum conditions of credibility, transparency and inclusiveness, and the ability to observe the electoral process without interference," a press release read.

EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Tuesday he had engaged with both the government and the opposition in the past few weeks and had taken note of the announcement by dozens of opposition parties on August 2 that they would abstain from the vote.