Call for action against Maduro

CONSERVATIVE European politicians, who were barred from entering Venezuela at the weekend, are urging the EU’s top diplomat to suspend contacts with Nicolas Maduro’s government.

Esteban Gonzalez Pons, the head of the European Popular Party parliamentary group, is also calling for European sanctions against Venezuela’s foreign minister, Jorge Arreaza, who had ordered that the legislators be barred on the grounds that they were conspiring against the government.

The five visitors were invited by the opposition-led congress led by Juan Guaido, whom the European Parliament recognises as Venezuela’s interim leader.

EU foreign ministers reaffirmed the need to have a contact group working with Venezuelan stakeholders, EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said.

“All member states have reaffirmed how crucial it is to have this instrument, which is probably the only one that we can use to be at the same time in contact with relevant stakeholders and clear on the objective, which is a democratic, peaceful and early election outcome for the crisis,” she said.