EU joins refusals to recognize Maduro as Venezuela vote winner
CARACAS—The European Union heaped further international pressure on Sunday on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, joining Washington and Latin American nations in refusing to recognize the win he has claimed in the recent election marked by fraud allegations.
The Pope warned against further violence.
The results published by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council on Aug. 2 “cannot be recognized,” the EU Council said in a statement.
The country’s election authority says the July 28 vote was won by incumbent Maduro, a result that defied preelection polls and ignited protests that rights group say have left 11 people dead so far and thousands arrested.
A growing number of nations, including the United States and Argentina, say the election was won by opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.
Voting records
But unlike the United States and several other countries, the EU has refrained from recognizing Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect.
“Copies of the electoral voting records published by the opposition, and reviewed by several independent organizations, indicate that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia would appear to be the winner of the Presidential elections by a significant majority,” the EU statement said.
