Venezuela: MEPs call for EU sanctions
-
-EP does not recognise the newly-established constituent assembly in Venezuela
-
-EU i should freeze the EU assets of all Venezuelans involved in the serious violations of human rights
-
-Latin America and Caribbean region is more than ever a key EU partner
-
-But political dialogue should be reinforced and trade negotiations speeded up
The EU should freeze the EU assets of all those involved in the serious violations of human rights in Venezuela and restrict their access to EU territory, MEPs urged on Wednesday.
In a resolution approved by 526 votes to 96, with 59 abstentions, MEPs condemn the elections in Venezuela to a Constituent Assembly of 30 July 2017 as being in breach of the separation of powers. They do not "recognise any actions and decisions taken by the newly established assembly due to its lack of legitimacy".
They urge EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini i and the European Council to consider freezing the EU assets of all those involved in the serious violations of human rights in Venezuela and restricting their access to EU territory.
EU-Latin America relations
In the text, MEPs stress the need to strengthen EU trade ties and cooperation with the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region, based on common values, interests and policy agendas, in order to tackle global challenges such as mass migration, terrorism, climate change, and poverty. They advocate:
-
-speeding up negotiations under way to update the EU-Mercosur, EU-Mexico and EU-Chile deals,
-
-automatically exchanging tax information and lifting bank secrecy,
-
-strengthening police and military coordination, with a focus on information sharing,
-
-developing special emergency aid corps to help cope with natural and humanitarian disasters,
-
-boosting the Erasmus+ programme, and
-
-cooperating on environmental issues, with special emphasis on switching to cleaner energies and decarbonisation.
Who's involved
EU political relations with Latin America
-
-
-
-
-
-