Mariano Rajoy, yesterday with “Las mañanas de RNE” director, Alfredo Menéndez./ Photo: RNE
The Diplomat. Madrid
The Spanish Government has increased its pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s regime to respect democratic principles in Venezuela, with declarations by Mariano Rajoy and by raising the situation being experienced by the Latin American country in the European Union, following parliamentary elections on 6 December.
The acting Head of Government, said yesterday in declarations to Spanish National Radio on being asked about Venezuela, that the political and economic situation “is not good”and “is doing a great deal of damage to many important sectors of the population”.
“There are people”, he added, “who are having a very very bad time and what is required particularly from those heading the regime is that they convert the country into a free and democratic country like the immense majority in the world”.
Finally, he said that what he would like the same for this country as for Spain: democracy, liberty, human rights, free enterprise, a model of well-being, a situation of stability and normality. And political prisoners should be released from prison.
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Rajoy appeals to Maduro for a free and democratic country
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In addition, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Manuel García-Margallo in Brussels yesterday, spoke of his concern for the situation in Venezuela. He did so in his address to the EU Council of Foreign Ministers, after which the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini, included the subject in the order of the day , although without the opportunity for a debate among the various countries. Mogherini also addressed the meeting to reiterate the need for the Government and the Opposition to open “constructive” talks to confront the economic, social and security crisis.
García-Margallo speaking to journalists, said that certain actions by the Venezuelan Government “create concern, at the very least”. And he mentioned the appointment of magistrates by the outgoing Assembly when their appointments should have corresponded to the one elected on 6 December, as well as, “the resurrection of a communal parliament that practically never existed, the limitation on the Assembly control measures and even the incapacity or request for incapacity of three deputies”.
In the opinion of the Minister these are not good signs, in contrast to that of the opposition which is abiding by a decision by the High Court of Justice, which ordered the suspension of three members of the opposition elected by Amazonas State whose investiture had been declared in contempt of court.
