The European Parliament officially recognized opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the "legitimate president" of Venezuela on Thursday. This non-binding resolution was passed with 309 votes in favor from the European People's Party, ultraconservatives, and the far right, while 201 voted against and 12 abstained.
The resolution acknowledges the opposition leader González Urrutia as the "legitimate and democratically elected president of Venezuela" and María Corina Machado as the "leader of the democratic forces." In a video posted on his Twitter account, González Urrutia stated, "Venezuelans want the same as Europeans have achieved: to live in freedom and democracy."
Condemnation of Electoral Fraud
The European Parliament expressed its "strong condemnation" of the "orchestrated electoral fraud" by the National Electoral Council (CNE) in the July elections, which confirmed the "victory" of dictator Nicolás Maduro. It also urged the European Union's High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, to reimpose sanctions on CNE members.
"Respecting the will of the Venezuelan people, as expressed in the elections, remains the only way for Venezuela to restore democracy, ensure a peaceful and genuine transition, and resolve the ongoing humanitarian and socioeconomic crisis," said the MEPs.
They warned, "If a peaceful transfer of power and the restoration of democracy does not occur by January 10, 2025, a new wave of migration to other countries in the region will ensue, similar to the exodus of nearly eight million Venezuelans in recent years."
From Venezuela, opposition leader María Corina Machado thanked the European institution for its support.
The European Parliament's stance goes further than the European Union Council, which decided at the end of August not to recognize Maduro as president but also did not recognize Edmundo González.
The opposition leader, who reportedly defeated Nicolás Maduro in the presidential elections, fled Venezuela and sought asylum in Spain, where he was granted political protection.
Days later, González stated he was coerced into signing a letter accepting a ruling by the Venezuelan Supreme Court that confirmed Maduro's victory. "Either I signed or faced the consequences," he declared in a statement.
González recounted that the incident took place at the residence of the Spanish ambassador in Caracas, where Vice-President Delcy Rodríguez and her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, President of the National Assembly, presented him with a letter to sign. "It was hours of intense coercion, blackmail, and pressure," added the opposition leader, who decided at that moment that his freedom would be more useful than imprisonment.