Brussels. 28-10-2016. The Centrist Democrat International (IDC-CDI) and the International Democrat Union (IDU) have denounced today in a joint statement, the situation of political, social and economic crisis facing Venezuela demanding that the country´s government guarantee the freedom of the citizens, respect for the rule of law and freedom for all political prisoners.
The declaration, entitled “Bringing Freedom, Democracy and Prosperity back to Venezuela”,holds Maduro´s regime responsible for the current crisis in the country. It mentions “corruption, nepotism and the mismanagement” and recalls that “despite Venezuela’s large oil and natural reserves, the people of Venezuela are suffering terribly.”
IDC-CDI’s president, ex-Prime Minister of Colombia, Andrés Pastrana, has stated “we want to send a forceful message to the Venezuelan Government, calling on it to allow a democratic and peaceful transition in the country as well as the normal, independent functioning of all public institutions.”
The joint declaration denounces the recent decision of the Electoral Supreme Court to “unconstitutionally” postpone the recall referendum and highlights that government institutions are constantly blocking, bypassing or ignoring legislation. It recalls that the United Opposition of Venezuela (Mesa de la Unidad Democrática, MUD) won last December’s elections.
The Executive Secretary of the IDC-CDI and Secretary General of the European People´s Party (EPP), Antonio López-Istúriz White, has affirmed that “our priority is to support Venezuelans in emerging from this crisis, a crisis generated by a populist and irresponsible government which is driving the country to collapse. Unfortunately, Venezuela is a clear example of the harm that populism can cause when in power. Its administration means the reduction of freedom, the creation of poverty, the increase of authoritarianism and imprisonment of whoever thinks differently.”
The joint statement calls on the government to respect the independence and immunity of the members of the National Assembly, to comply with the rule of law, to free all political prisoners -including Antonio Ledezma, Daniel Ceballos and Leopoldo López-, as well as to ensure the nonviolent behaviour of police and military forces. It also urges the government to guarantee freedoms, human rights and citizens’ access to humanitarian aid.
Compliance with the constitutional order and the sovereign right of the Venezuelan people to vote in free, transparent and fair elections should be a precondition for a dialogue from all relevant parties.
IDC-CDI and IDU represent more than 150 political Christian-democrat, center-right and conservative parties from all over the world.
Statement:
Joint-Statement-Of-The-International-Democrat-Union-IDU-And-The-Centrist-Democrat-International-CDI
