Elections in Venezuela: how was the role of the international community?
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(CNN Spanish) -
Observers from the European Union (EU) who were deployed to Venezuela for the regional and municipal elections on November 21 are withdrawing earlier than scheduled because the government of the questioned President Nicolás Maduro did not extend their visas. a member of the mission told CNN on Friday.
The source added that they planned to leave the country on December 13 and due to lack of visas they will do so between this Saturday and Sunday.
CNN contacted the Foreign Ministry and the National Electoral Council (CNE) to obtain comment on the matter and until noon this Friday it has not received any answers.
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Later, the observation mission said in a brief statement that its members will leave Caracas on December 5 and that they will return to the country in early 2022 to present their final report and recommendations.
In its report released last week, the EU noted that, although there were certain improvements in the electoral process, the political campaign was marked by the extensive use of state resources, as well as a lack of judicial independence.
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For his part, Maduro described the mission members as a "spy delegation," according to a statement released on November 28 by the presidential press office.
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