EU mission members talking with Deputy Minister for Foreign Relations, Yvan Gil at the Simon Bolivar International Airport. Photo courtesy of Twitter / @CancilleriaVE
This Thursday, July 8, the Foreign Ministry of the Bolivarian Republic reported that an exploratory mission from the European Union (EU) arrived in our country. The delegation has scheduled a series of meetings with Venezuelan authorities and various political actors in advance of the regional elections that will take place on November 21, 2021.
The Ministry’s official account, @CancilleriaVE, posted the following announcement on the social media network Twitter: “The exploratory mission of the European Union that arrived in #Venezuela will hold meetings with the Public Powers and political actors with a view to the election day of the next #21Nov in which Venezuelans will elect governors, mayors, legislators and councilors.”
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On June 25 of this year, the National Electoral Council had announced via Twitter that “the EU’s chargé d’affaires in Venezuela, Duccio Bandini, informed the president of the CNE, Pedro Calzadilla, of the July 6 arrival of the exploratory mission that will evaluate European participation in the regional and municipal elections of November.”
#8Jul | Arribó a #Venezuela, la misión exploratoria de la Unión Europea 🇪🇺 que sostendrá reuniones con los Poderes Públicos y actores políticos de cara a la jornada electoral del próximo #21Nov en la que los venezolanos elegirán gobernadores, alcaldes, legisladores y concejales. pic.twitter.com/lCUe9AwGug
— Cancillería Venezuela 🇻🇪 (@CancilleriaVE) July 8, 2021
The CNE explained that the delegation would consist of three officials and four electoral experts, and would be in Venezuela until July 23. In the meeting held at the request of the European representative, added the CNE, the president of the National Electoral Council and Bandini focused on the electoral schedule for the elections on November 21.
Commenting on the visit, Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza had said on June 22 that the EU electoral observation delegation would be “welcome” in the Andean nation, although on that occasion he made it clear that “the only body that can recognize or dismiss the electoral results in Venezuela is the Venezuelan people. We do not depend on any external entity to Venezuela to enforce the popular sovereignty of Venezuelans.”
Featured image: EU mission members talking with Deputy Minister for Foreign Relations, Yvan Gil, at the Simón Bolívar International Airport. Photo courtesy of Twitter/@CancilleriaVE
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
