For the first time, the Government protested together with Europe for political prisoners and violence in Venezuela

Natasha Niebieskikwiat

07/13/2021 7:20 PM

• Clarín.com

• Politics

Updated 07/13/2021 7:20 PM

For the first time, the Government of Alberto Fernández signed an explicit declaration outside the United Nations that

demands the release of political prisoners in Venezuela

, the cessation of acts of intimidation and demands conditions for there to be free elections in that country.

What the Government did was to

subscribe to a forceful statement from the so-called International Contact Group with Venezuela

, which Argentina and other countries together with the European Union have made up since August last year.

Argentina became part of that group when it

decided to leave the Lima Group

, in which the voice of the Organization of American States weighs and, although it is not, that of the United States.

Already in that group together with Europe, Argentina had not signed any statement on the government of Nicolás Maduro until this Tuesday.

As it also abstains in the OAS, Argentina only follows the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet.

In the last hours,

violent images

could be seen

about how the Maduro regime attacked the opposition leader Juan Guaidó and his collaborators.

 US President Joe Biden called on the international community to

condemn these acts

and also held the protests

against the Cuban government

, on which Alberto Fernández did not comment. The President condemned the US blockade against the island but

said he was unaware of the rest of the crisis

that exploded on Sunday

This Tuesday's statement reads as follows.

"The members of the International Contact Group (ICG)

reiterate their concern about the situation in Venezuela

and appeal to political actors and civil society to move forward urgently and in good faith in resolving the profound political, economic and social crisis that it is going through. the country and that affects the entire region. "

He made an urgent call for "an inclusive dialogue led by Venezuelans themselves

that leads to credible, free and transparent elections in accordance with the constitutional and legal provisions" 

of Venezuela, in which he called for a negotiating table that leads to democracy.

"The members of the GIC call on the government to guarantee civil and political rights, freedom and security for all political actors and the

release of all political prisoners, including those under house arrest,

as well as an end to intimidation against political actors and civil society. "

In the statement they said they support the establishment of a permanent office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Venezuela.

They also urged that this year's regional and local elections

respect the standards of

fair, free and transparent

elections

.

"The ICG members reiterate

their deep concern about the deterioration of the humanitarian situation

in the country and in neighboring countries, aggravated by the Covid-19 pandemic," said the text of the Declaration in which

Argentina appears for the first time.

.