Elections only way out of unrest in Venezuela: EU

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - The EU Council reaffirmed that crisis in Venezuela requires an "urgent" political solution, saying that new elections are the only way out of the country's ongoing unrest.

The political solution can only be achieved through "a peaceful, democratic and Venezuelan-owned" process leading to "free and fair presidential elections", the Council said Tuesday in a statement.

"Therefore it [EU Council] welcomes and supports the resumption in Barbados of the talks facilitated by the Government of Norway, which should remain the main channel to overcome the crisis," it added.

On July 8, meetings were held in Barbados between the delegations of Venezuelan government and the opposition to find peaceful solutions to the South American country's political crisis.

The latest meetings followed the talks in Oslo, Norway in May.

Calling for an urgent result that enables "transparent and internationally monitored elections", it stressed that the EU will further expand its measures if no "concrete" result emerges from the ongoing negotiations.

The Council also stated that the EU "strongly" supports the findings of the latest UN human rights report on the South American country, which was rejected by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro last week, and calls upon the Maduro government for an immediate halt against alleged violations.

Political unrest has been ongoing in Venezuela between President Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido since Jan. 10.

Guaido in January proclaimed himself the rightful president of Venezuela, dismissing Maduro’s 2018 re-election as a fraud, a move recognized by more than 50 states, including the U.S.

But Venezuelan state institutions as well as the military have been putting their weight behind Maduro.

Turkey has also supported Maduro as the country’s legitimate leader in the face of foreign-backed coup attempts.