EU says it does not recognize Venezuela’s election result

The European Union said that it does not recognize the proclaimed result of Venezuela’s election as the government in Caracas has failed to release the supporting voting records from polling stations.

Incumbent President Nicolás Maduro was declared the victor in the July 28 vote in results published by the National Electoral Council of Venezuela. But the opposition party and numerous countries have criticized the declared outcome, saying it doesn’t reflect the actual voting.

“Without evidence to support them, the results published on 2nd August … cannot be recognised,” the EU said in a statement Sunday evening.

“Any attempt to delay the full publication of the official voting records will only cast further doubt on the credibility of the officially published results,” the bloc said.

The EU called for “further independent verification, if possible by an internationally reputed entity.”

The EU’s statement follows a joint letter signed by leaders of seven EU countries calling on Venezuelan authorities to publish the detailed voting results. European diplomats also have expressed concerns regarding the transparency of the elections.

Maduro’s declared victory was rejected by the opposition after exit polls had projected a decisive lead for challenger Edmundo González.

Thousands of protesters rallied in the streets of Venezuela’s capital Caracas calling for the election result to be overturned. The authorities arrested hundreds of demonstrators and threatened to imprison González as well as opposition leader María Corina Machado.

Via Politico