For the first time, the government protested with Europe against political prisoners and violence in Venezuela

For the first time, the government of Alberto Fernández signed an explicit declaration outside the United Nations that demands the release of political prisoners in Venezuela, an end to acts of intimidation and demands conditions for there to be free elections in this country.

What the government did was endorse a strong statement from the so-called International Contact Group with Venezuela, made up of Argentina and other countries as well as the European Union since August of last year. Argentina became a member of this group when has decided to leave the Lima Group, in which weighs the voice of the Organization of American States and, although it does not include it, that of the United States.

Already in this group with Europe, Argentina had not signed any declaration on the government of Nicolás Maduro until Tuesday. As it also abstains at the OAS, Argentina only follows the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.

In the last hours they could see violent images of how the Maduro regime attacked opposition leader Juan Guaidó and his collaborators. US President Joe Biden called on the international community to condemn these acts and also organized protest rallies against the government of Cuba, on which Alberto Fernández did not comment. The president condemned the US blockade against the island but said he didn’t know the rest of the crisis that exploded on Sunday

This Tuesday’s statement reads as follows. “Members of the International Contact Group (ICG) reiterate their concern about the situation in Venezuela and they call on political actors and civil society to move forward urgently and in good faith in resolving the deep political, economic and social crisis that the country is going through and which affects the entire region. “

He made an urgent call for “an inclusive dialogue led by Venezuelans themselves leading to credible, free and transparent elections in accordance with constitutional and legal provisions ” Venezuela, in which he called for a negotiating table that leads to democracy.

“The members of the GIC call on the government to guarantee the civil and political rights, freedom and security of all political actors and the release of all political prisoners, including those under house arrest, as well as the end of intimidation against political actors and civil society. “

In the statement, they said they supported the establishment of a permanent office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Venezuela. They also demanded that in this year’s regional and local elections electoral standards are respected fair, free and transparent.

“The members of the ICG reiterate their deep concern at the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the country and in neighboring countries, aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic ”, indicates the text of the Declaration in which Argentina appears for the first time.