European Union calls for more transparency in Venezuela election after UN report

The European Union on Thursday praised the United Nations' publication of an interim report on the Venezuelan presidential elections, but urged the South American country to be more transparent about its election results.

The election, which took place on July 28, allegedly reelected Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which prompted widespread protests and riots throughout the country. President Joe Biden on Thursday said he would support a new election in Venezuela, according to Reuters.

The United Nations published its report on the election on Tuesday, which found that Venezuela's National Electoral Council (CNE) postponed and then cancelled three "key post-electoral audits." The report also found that the election was logistically well organized, and occurred in a mainly peaceful environment, but that the CNE fell short on transparency.

"I welcome the decision by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to make the interim report of the United Nations Panel of Experts public," EU High Representative Josep Borrell said in a statement. "This timely report sheds light on the electoral process and highlights the lack of substantiation for the results announced by Venezuelan authorities."

Borrell urged Venezuela to publish and "independently verify" the election records, because the electoral records published by Maduro's opposition reveal that challenger Edmundo González Urrutia should have been the winner.

"In a democracy, results must be complete and independently verifiable to be recognized," Borrell said. "The international community must defend the democratic process and ensure the conditions for the Venezuelan people to exercise their civil and political rights."

"Respecting the will of the Venezuelan people remains the only way for Venezuela to restore democracy and to solve the current humanitarian and socio-economic crisis," he continued. "Venezuelan authorities must put an end to arbitrary detentions and repression against members of the opposition and civil society, and release all political prisoners."

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.