Why is this important?
Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez was formally sworn in in parliament on Monday as the country's acting president after U.S. forces captured and deported former leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from the country.
What was the position of the European Commission spokeswoman?
Hipper recalled that the European Union does not recognize the mandate of acting president Delca Rodriguez, who was sworn in on Monday, just as it did not recognize the legitimacy of the current leader of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro. “We have said many times, and I would like to repeat it again, that the Venezuelan authorities derive their mandate from an electoral process that did not take into account the will of the people for democratic change,” she said.
She added that in this situation, the EU will proceed as before, i.e. maintain limited and targeted contacts with the Venezuelan authorities in order to protect EU interests and uphold the community's values.
What is the EU's position on the Delcy Rodriguez case?
Does the EU recognize Delcy Rodriguez's mandate?
What are the reasons for sanctioning Rodriguez?
What will be the EU's further contacts with Venezuela?
What about sanctions against Delcy Rodriguez?
The Commission spokeswoman did not want to prejudge the lifting of sanctions imposed by the EU on Rodriguez. This refers to the restrictions imposed in 2017 by a decision of the EU Council on persons responsible for serious violations of human rights, repression of civil society and the democratic opposition, and threats to democracy in Venezuela. The sanctions list included, among others: Rodriguez, then vice-president, who was accused of attacking the opposition and preventing it from participating in the political process.
— When it comes to sanctions, all decisions are taken unanimously by the Member States. I cannot anticipate or prejudge any of these decisions, the spokeswoman said.
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