The International Contact Group on Venezuela has proposed an electoral roadmap

The second international meeting on Venezuela, held on Thursday in Quito, ended with a statement in which Election Compliance Proposals and an Roadmap allow the calling of elections in the Caribbean country.

The meeting brought together high-level delegations from 16 European and American countries that make up the so-called International Contact Group (ICG), which held a first meeting last month in Montevideo.

The meeting held on Thursday at the Ecuadorian Ministry of Foreign Affairs ended with a document it was not signed by Bolivia and it includes a condemnation of the decision of the Venezuelan Office of the Controller to disqualify Juan Guaidó for a period of 15 years for the purpose of performing public duties.

"This is another proof of the urgency of restoring democracy, the separation of powers and the rule of law in the country."said the head of European diplomacy, Federica Mogherini, who co-chaired the meeting with the host, the Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs, José Valencia.

At this second meeting, which was attended by eight chancellors, we again insisted on a peaceful solution to the crisis, excluding the use of force, holding "Free, transparent and credible elections as soon as possible"

The group was formed shortly after the president of the Venezuelan Parliament proclaimed himself acting president, recognized by more than 50 countries, with the hope that this action would engender.

However, with regard to the times and deadlines for holding elections in that country, the officials preferred not to pronounceand this time they advocated pragmatism and the provision of experience in the field of electoral processes, such as the Twenty-Eight, "on the basis of a road map".

Thus, the statement indicates that the group considers as fundamental the "reinstitutionalization"key institutions of the Venezuelan state, as well as guarantees allowing all potential candidates and political parties to participate in elections.

He also advocates that one Complete update of the list of electors, which includes young voters and Venezuelans abroad, and advocates for a change in the electoral legal framework to allow the deployment of international missions.

"If necessary, the Governor in Council is prepared to contribute to the electoral process in the future. through confidence-building measures, such as the deployment and support of election observation missions and the international audit of elections, "reads the text.

During the debates, the delegates were able to familiarize themselves with the work of two technical committees that have recently visited Venezuela, one on electoral issues and the other on humanitarian aid, constituted by the Group in Montevideo.

In the area of ​​aid, the entity urged all parties to respect "independence and neutrality"of humanitarian aid.

In parallel, they recognized "the efforts of the host countries of the region, which received more than 3 million Venezuelan refugees and migrants", and welcomed the implementation of the measures announced in the "Declaration of Quito" of September 2018 to ease the conditions of mbad exodus from Venezuela.

The Ecuadorian Foreign Minister stressed at the end of the meeting that "one of the strengths of the international contact group is develop the position of taking into account to all relevant actors inside and outside Venezuela ".

And Mogherini, for one, pointed out that the purpose of the same thing, as his name implies, was to establish contact with different parties without exclusions, and revealed that, by example, the Lima group "the exchanges are constant"

Precisely Costa Rica, a member of this group and this international contact forum, will hold the next Governor in Council meeting in early Mayas announced by the Foreign Ministers.

Among the EU countries that will participate in the call include Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom. United Kingdom and Sweden.

Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell and Portuguese Minister Augusto Santos attended the meeting.

Among the nations of the American continent are the Foreign Ministers of Costa Rica, Uruguay and Chile, Manuel Ventura, Rodolfo Nin Novoa and Roberto Ampuero, respectively.

The Caribbean Community (Caricom) is represented by its Secretary General, Irwin La Rocque, who badists as an observer in the process.

(By Daniela Brik – EFE)