President Maduro greets joint agreement between Venezuela and the EU

The President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, greeted on Thursday the agreement reached between the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Jorge Arreaza, and the high representative of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, in order to start a new path towards diplomacy and dialogue between both parts.

In statements broadcast by Venezolana de Televisión, the Venezuelan head of state said that after a tense conversation between Borrell and the Venezuelan Chancellor, he authorized the suspension of the expulsion of the EU ambassador, Isabel Brilhante Pedrosa.

He added that in that telephone contact, Venezuela expressed a strong demand for the alleged sanctions, and the initiative for a political and diplomatic dialogue between the EU and the Venezuelan Government emerged in order to elevate, deepen and stimulate the talks directly between Borrell and Arreaza.

He specified that after the talks between the high officials, the joint communiqué between the parties was issued.

“That is what has been done, it is the best, the most intelligent, appropriate and corresponds to what we seek; For the world to listen to the truth of Venezuela”, he reiterated during an act of promotion of officers of the Presidential Honor Guard and the DGCIM.

He urged the EU to deeply and historically rectify its actions with Venezuela, and requested the support of the entire public opinion, in view of this new agreement.

This diplomatic step occurs after last Monday the financial body sanctioned the board of directors of the National Assembly; the Comptroller General of the Republic and President of the Republican Moral Council, Elvis Amoroso, and leaders Jorge Márquez, Juan José Mendoza, José Adelino Ornelas, Tania Díaz and Gladys Requena, as well as prosecutors Farik Mora and Dinorah Bustamante.

Earlier, the Venezuelan diplomat reported that in that conversation, Borrell was asked to suspend said sanctions.

“Venezuela hopes that there will be some kind of gesture that will improve relations”, he said.

In this regard, Arreaza pointed out that this suspension of sanctions does not depend exclusively on Borrell, since it depends on the decisions taken jointly by the EU council of ministers that brings together 27 countries.