BRUSSELS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th March, 2019) The International Contact Group (ICG) on Venezuela suggested that Venezuelan parties should reach an agreement on the basis of a road map for holding a new presidential election in order to resolve the current crisis in the Latin American country.
"The solution to the crisis lies in giving the voice back to the people in democratic elections, in line with international standards. According to the findings and conclusions of the working group on electoral process, the conduct of such electoral process towards new presidential elections should include an agreement amongst all relevant actors on the basis of an agreed roadmap," the group said in a ministerial declaration on the results of its meeting in Quito on Thursday.
It suggested that the plan should enable re-institutionalization of "key state institutions;" giving guarantees to all politicians and parties that they would be allowed to run in the elections; voter register update; and changing electoral legislation to allow international observers monitor the process.
"The ICG, if requested, is ready to assist in a future electoral process through confidence-building measures such as the deployment of and support to election observation missions, international auditing of the electoral ICT systems and/or a revised voter register, and any other support actions that would be deemed necessary to implement an agreement leading to free, credible and transparent elections," the declaration argued.
The ICG was set up in February with an aim to facilitate the resolution of the crisis in Venezuela, which erupted in the wake of opposition leader Juan Guaido's self-proclamation as the country's "interim president."
While Guaido was backed by the United States and a number of their allies, Russia and China, among other states, supported Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who accused Guaido of trying to orchestrate a coup to overthrow him with the help of Washington.
The ICG also condemned the recent decision of the Venezuelan authorities to bar Guaido from holding public office for 15 years, saying the move was arbitrary in its nature.
The ban was imposed on Guaido on Thursday. Venezuelan State Comptroller Elvis Amoroso said it had been based on irregularities on Guaido's financial records, including the fact that the opposition leader had carried out over 90 foreign trips, paying around 300 million bolivars (around $100,000) for them. Amoroso noted noted it was unclear where the funds came from. Guaido, in his turn, reported declined to detail the sources of the funds.
"The ICG will continue its work on humanitarian assistance and elections and will undertake follow-up missions for continued discussions with the relevant Venezuelan actors at technical and/or political level. The ICG at the beginning of May in Costa Rica," the declaration pointed out.
The group met for the first time in Montevideo on February 7. EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini participated in both meetings.
