EU announces contact group with Latin America for Venezuelan crisis

[Blexfraptor]

The objective is to achieve a peaceful exit in a period of 90 days.

The European Union (EU) announced on Thursday the creation of a contact group between European and Latin American countries, with the aim of reaching a 90-day period a peaceful and democratic exit to the crisis in Venezuela, through the holding of presidential elections .

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in Bucharest, on the sidelines of an informal meeting of European foreign ministers, that the objective is "to promote common understanding and action among key international actors on the situation in Venezuela." .

The group will be formed by the EU, as well as several of its member countries, such as France, United Kingdom, Germany, Portugal, Spain, Holland, Italy, Sweden, while in the Latin American part are Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Bolivia, in addition to other States that will be announced in the coming days. According to Mogherini, the first meeting, at ministerial level and in Latin America, will probably be held next week.

"I see a very united position among the member countries," said the head of foreign policy and security of the EU, after highlighting the European support to the president of the National Assembly of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó. Guaidó declared himself interim president of the South American country last week, considering the illegitimate mandate of the socialist president Nicolás Maduro.

"The group (of contact) has a clear mandate and with different phases, with a clear framework, because the results will be reviewed after 90 days, and the (mandate) will be finished if there is no progress," warned Mogherini.

"The group will help build confidence and create the necessary conditions for a credible online process of the Constitution of Venezuela, with the objective of Venezuelans determine their own future with new elections, with all the guarantees," said the community official.

At the same time, Mogherini stressed that it is not "to open a formal process of mediation or dialogue, but to support a political dynamic, which the group can accompany and consolidate."