Venezuela: EU calls for full vote count in election dispute

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Wednesday the bloc could not recognize the outcome of Venezuelan election until all votes were counted and records made available.

International criticism has mounted over Venezuela's vote count that handed incumbent President Nicolas Maduro a narrow victory on Sunday.

Protesters have filled the streets since, with demonstrations turning violent on Monday as authorities in riot gear clashed with people in the capital, Caracas. There were also protests reported in other cities. 

At least 11 have died in connection with the protests as of Wednesday, with hundreds more arrested.

Borrell says EU to decide 'next steps'

Borrell said Venezuela's electoral commission had announced the result of the vote based on 80% of the ballots counted, while the Venezuelan opposition had published very different results.

"That is an additional reason for not recognizing the results until they will be fully and independently verified," he told reporters during a visit to Vietnam.

The members of the 27-nation bloc will decide on possible next steps only after the full results are made available, he added.

Spain, Colombia, G7 foreign ministers call for transparent vote count in Venezuela

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Wednesday appealed for calm in Venezuela.

"I make a firm appeal for calm, civic-mindedness and respect for the fundamental rights of all Venezuelans," he told a news conference.  

He added he was following "with concern" the events in the former Spanish colony.

Colombian President Gustavo Petro also called for a transparent vote count in Venezuela in a lengthy post on X, formerly Twitter.

"I invite the Venezuelan government to allow the elections to end in peace, allowing a transparent vote counting ... and professional international supervision ... I ask the US government to suspend blockades and decisions against Venezuelan citizens." 

Washington, which dismissed Maduro's re-election in 2018 as neither free nor fair, broadly eased sanctions on Venezuela's oil industry last October in response to a deal between Maduro and opposition parties.

But in April the US reimposed the sanctions, accusing Maduro of reneging on electoral commitments.

Foreign ministers from the world's leading economies or G7 countries also called for transparency, writing in a statement: "We call on relevant representatives to publish the detailed electoral results in full transparency and we ask electoral representatives to immediately share all information with the opposition and independent observers." 

UN human rights chief, White House express concerns over vote count

UN Human Rights chief Volker Türk said Tuesday he was "extremely concerned about increasing tensions in Venezuela, with worrying reports of violence."

The Carter Center, a US-based nonprofit organization meant to monitor the vote on the ground, said the election failed to meet "international standards of electoral integrity" and could not be "considered democratic."

The White House said "Any political repression or violence against protesters or of the opposition is obviously unacceptable."

Opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia announced that his campaign had the proof it needed to show it won, with Gonzalez and opposition leader Maria Corina Machado telling reporters that they obtained more than 70% of tally sheets.

Those results show that Gonzalez had won more than double the number of Maduro's votes.

rm/ab (Reuters, AFP)