EU Calls For 'Free, Credible' Venezuelan Election, Backs National Assembly - Spokeswoman

The European Union fully supports Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly and calls for an immediate democratic election in the crisis-torn country, Maja Kocijancic, the spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs and security policy, said on Thursday

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th January, 2019) The European Union fully supports Venezuela's opposition-controlled National Assembly and calls for an immediate democratic election in the crisis-torn country, Maja Kocijancic, the spokeswoman for EU foreign affairs and security policy, said on Thursday.

Her remark came amid a political crisis is Venezuela, where anti-governmental protests have been ongoing since the beginning of the week, with the Venezuelan National Assembly adopting on Tuesday a statement declaring the country's president, Nicolas Maduro, a usurper. A day later, opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself the country's interim president at a mass rally.

"EU strongly calls for the start of an immediate political process leading to free and credible elections in conformity with the constitutional order ... [We voice] full support to the National Assembly as the democratically elected institution," Kocijancic said at a press briefing.

She voiced hope that "political discussions" of ways to settle the conflict would soon be held.

Guaido's interim presidency has been supported by around a dozen countries, mostly Latin American ones, but the United States as well, and denounced by others.