European Parliament calls for continued sanctions against Delcy Rodríguez despite her invitation to the Ibero-American Summit in Madrid

Eduardo González The European Parliament on Thursday called for continued EU sanctions against those “responsible for human rights violations” in Venezuela “until measures are taken towards a peaceful transition to democracy.” Among those sanctioned is Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, whom the Spanish government intends to invite to the 30th Ibero-American Summit, to be held next November in Madrid. With 507 votes in favor, 31 against, and 35 abstentions, the European Parliament plenary session on Thursday approved a resolution calling for the release of “all political prisoners,” seven days after Delcy Rodríguez officially announced the repeal of the Amnesty Law passed last February. According to the text, the amnesty did not include “all political prisoners in the country,” and there are still at least “470 people unjustly imprisoned in inhumane conditions.” Therefore, the MEPs denounce that “the premature repeal of the law, its limited scope, the lack of independent oversight, and its discriminatory application have provided no basis for political reconciliation.” The resolution urges the regime to “end the repression and reform the main judicial, police, and electoral institutions, including closing all facilities used for arbitrary detentions” and warns that “the Amnesty Law must not be applied under any circumstances to protect those responsible for human rights violations, who must be held accountable.” It also calls for guarantees of the safe and fearless return of those who wish to return. The approved text insists that the Council “must maintain the sanctions imposed on those responsible for human rights violations until measures are taken toward a peaceful transition to democracy, led by Venezuela and respectful of its sovereignty.” “These measures must include the unconditional release of all political prisoners, the restoration of their civil and political rights, the withdrawal and annulment of all politically motivated charges against the opposition, and the establishment of a credible roadmap toward free and fair elections,” it warns. On February 19, the Venezuelan National Assembly unanimously approved the Amnesty Law for Democratic Coexistence, which extinguishes criminal liability for acts committed in the country over the past 26 years and has led to the release of hundreds of prisoners. Its objective was to promote social peace, democratic coexistence, and national reconciliation, although opponents of the Nicolás Maduro regime and civil society organizations denounce that it has not benefited all political prisoners. Last Tuesday, Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares told the press during his official visit to the Dominican Republic that Spain will invite Delcy Rodríguez to the 30th Ibero-American Summit. “Right now, we are reaching out to all the countries, and we will proceed as we always do: we invite whoever holds the international representation of each country,” he affirmed. “This Madrid Summit of the Americas, in that sense, will be no different from others,” he warned. “The Pro Tempore Secretariat does not change the rules; there are rules established by everyone, and we will follow them at all times,” he added. Former Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of interim president after the attack carried out last January by the United States in Caracas, which resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Last February, following the approval of the Amnesty Law, Albares proposed to his EU colleagues the lifting of sanctions against Delcy Rodríguez, which were first adopted in 2016 and entail a ban on her entry into the EU and the freezing of her assets in Europe. According to the Spanish government, this restriction has exceptions, and therefore the acting president could attend the Ibero-American Summit in Madrid, to be held on November 4 and 5 under the slogan “Ibero-America. Together we build our community. Together we project it into the future and into the world.”

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