EU slams Venezuela election violence

THE European Union yesterday condemned excessive use of force by state troops in Venezuela and said it was unlikely to recognise the results of Sunday’s elections.

Sunday marked one of the deadliest days since massive protests started in April in Venezuela and voters broadly boycotted an election for a constitutional superbody sought by the unpopular leftist President Nicolas Maduro.

“We will not recognise this election,” European Parliament head Antonio Tajani said.

“It is very clear the current regime is clinging to power. The will of the people is to change the regime. It is necessary to go to elections now.”

The European Commission also said it had serious doubts about whether to recognise the result.

“The European Union condemns the excessive and disproportionate use of force by security forces,” it said in a statement.

Venezuelan authorities said 10 people were killed in clashes between anti-Maduro protesters and law enforcement officers.

Meanwhile, Maduro yesterday celebrated the election of the new legislative superbody, which is expected to give the ruling Socialist Party sweeping powers.

Maduro insists the new constituent assembly will bring peace after four months of protests that have killed more than 120 people.

Countries across the Americas, and the EU, denounced the creation of the assembly, which will have the power to rewrite the constitution.

The United States – the top market for the Opec nation’s oil – called the vote a sham, and officials in Washington said they were preparing oilsector sanctions.

“A spokesperson for emperor Donald Trump said that they would not recognise the results of Venezuela’s constituent assembly election,” Maduro told a crowd of cheering supporters.

“Why the hell should we care what Trump says?”

The country’s elections authority said more than eight million voters went to the polls, while the opposition estimated only 2.5 million ballots were cast.

Socialist Party allies won all 545 seats in the new assembly.