Resolution on the situation in Venezuela

2018/2891(RSP)

The European Parliament adopted by 268 votes to 25, with 26 abstentions, a resolution on the situation in Venezuela.

The text adopted in plenary was adopted by the EPP, ECR and ALDE groups.

Venezuela is facing an unprecedented social, economic and humanitarian crisis as a result of a political one, causing a huge number of deaths and around 2.3 million migrants and refugees. 87 % of the population of Venezuela is affected by poverty, with the level of extreme poverty standing at 61.2 %.

Despite the readiness of the international community, the Venezuelan Government regrettably remains obstinate in its refusal to openly receive and facilitate the distribution of international humanitarian aid and is thus neglecting any responsibility it has towards its own citizens.

Parliament called on the Venezuelan authorities, as a matter of urgency, to allow unimpeded humanitarian aid into the country in order to prevent the aggravation of the humanitarian and public health crisis and to implement a short-term response to counter malnutrition.

Moreover, there is a climate of increasing violence and total impunity in Venezuela, on account of the authorities’ failure to hold to account perpetrators of serious human rights violations, including murder, the use of excessive force against demonstrators, arbitrary detention, torture, and other degrading and inhuman treatment, but also criminal violence.

On 8 October 2018, the Venezuelan opposition politician Fernando Albán was allegedly tortured and murdered on the premises of the Bolivarian National Intelligence Service (SEBIN), the Venezuelan political police. Despite calls from the UN and the EU, the authorities have refused to allow an independent investigation into the causes of his death. Mr Albán was in custody on the premises of SEBIN, and the Venezuelan authorities are therefore to be held accountable for his whereabouts.

Parliament expressed its sincere condolences to Fernando Albán’s family and friends. It condemned the crimes committed by the Venezuelan authorities and called in this particular case for an immediate independent investigation into the government, including an international autopsy carried out by an independent forensic team.

Parliament welcomed the EU’s imposition of additional targeted and reversible sanctions, which will cause no harm to the Venezuelan population, for the holding of elections on 20 May 2018 that were illegitimate and not internationally recognised. It called for these sanctions to be strengthened if the situation of human rights and democracy in the country continues to deteriorate.

Member States faced with the influx of Venezuelans are called on to provide them with access to basic services and grant them temporary protected status and special residence rights.