Thank you very much. I think we share the same objective here, even with the differences that I recognise and that are not new in this hemicycle on the situation in Venezuela.

But I think we share two things: one is the sincere feeling of friendship and support for the country and the people of Venezuela. I think that unites us, and that is behind all the efforts we are trying to make to support and accompany the country out of a crisis that is there and that has different aspects.

 And a second thing that, I believe, unites us as our common aim and goal and objective is to guarantee that Venezuelan citizens have the opportunity, the right, even the duty I would say, to express, through a democratic and transparent process, their political will, and determine themselves what is going to be the future of their country. Peaceful, constitutional outcome through dialogue that brings the regime and the opposition together in a credible way, ensuring that democracy, the rule of law and human rights are guaranteed. I believe this is the common objective we share.

And we will continue to use all our instruments, all our means, to try and accompany the country in this way, which is a difficult way. And I can guarantee you: the channels for dialogue from our side are always open. And I think it is the right thing to do in this moment and I am glad to have in this the support of the EU Member States. In our dialogue both with the government in Caracas, but also with the opposition and with the National Assembly, that is a legitimate institution of the country that needs to be recognised. And I was glad to meet the President [of the National Assembly, Omar Barboza] myself, together with the opposition parties last week – by the way here in this Parliament.

We will continue to coordinate positions with our regional and international partners: from Latin American and Caribbean partners, to the United Nations, to the Holy See, and others that can help bringing the different parties inside Venezuela back to the negotiating table.

And we will continue to support and even reinforce our aid, our assistance, to a population that needs it, as well as to the neighbouring countries and communities, which need to be supported for their generosity in welcoming and supporting Venezuelan people that are crossing the borders in this moment.

I mentioned in my opening remarks that we call for a revision of the electoral calendar. But I want to be clear here. A revision of the electoral calendar would mean also, for us, different conditions in which the elections have to be held. It is not just a matter of date. It is a matter of how an electoral process is prepared. For the European Union, an Electoral Observation Mission – and you know that very well because you are leading them across the world – is never a matter of one day, the day of the election. It is about the preparation of the electoral campaign, the participation to elections, the transparency, the open access and opportunities for all, the day of the elections and the follow-up of the election results. All of this process, we believe – in order to serve the democratic aspirations of the people all over the world –have some international standards that have recognised criteria. And that are the ones that the European Union follows inside our borders and the ones we promote outside of our borders.

Again, as most of you have said, without any attempt or even desire to interfere in the domestic politics of a third country – I think we have enough of domestic politics inside Europe, we have enough to care about in our own domestic politics and first and foremost you, elected Members of the European Parliament. But what we care about is that the processes of the democracy in the world can be solid, credible and transparent. And this is the only purpose we have, in partnership, I would say, with our Venezuelan friends. Because as many of you mentioned, there is a strong feeling of friendship between Europeans and Venezuelans. There are close ties, we know each other very well. I come myself from a country, as one of my compatriots had mentioned, that has many Italian-Venezuelans, and it is the same for the Spanish and Portuguese colleagues – we know what we are talking about.

So there is no antagonism, there is no polarisation; there is a true sense of friendship and communality of purpose here. And this is the spirit with which the European Union offers all its support to a truly democratic, transparent, credible process in Venezuela that I hope can take place inside the country.

Thank you.

Link to the video:

https://ec.europa.eu/avservices/video/player.cfm?ref=I154920