The president of the National Electoral Council, CNE, Pedro Calzadilla, met at the headquarters of the organization with the charge d’affaires of the delegation of the European Union in Caracas, Rafael Dochao, after being summoned by the electoral body as part of the efforts initiated after the interventionist statements by the High Representative of the EU Foreign Service, Josep Borrell, on October 8.
According to a press release from the electoral body, Calzadilla ratified in this meeting the effort of dialogue of the electoral authorities to maintain the electoral observation mission of the European Union, formally agreed last September.
He also expressed the serious concern of the CNE at the negative evolution of the positions held by the High European official, on which the Electoral Power declared dissatisfaction and disagreement.
It is worth remembering that, given the situation generated by Borrell’s statements, the CNE held an extended session last Thursday, in which was evaluated the current impasse with the European Union, and to which were invited the incorporated alternate rectors Carlos Quintero, Conrado Pérez and Leonel Párica.
At this meeting, unanimously, the rectors attending the meeting expressed their support for the efforts made by President Calzadilla, and ratified their position to exhaust all the efforts necessary for the Union’s electoral observation mission to be deployed in the country. European, but under strict adherence to the principles of impartiality and absolute respect for the sovereignty and self-determination of Venezuela, as agreed in the convenement signed between both parties in September.
For his part, the president of the CNE asked the EU diplomatic representative to convey to Borrell the expectation of the electoral authorities that there will be a rectification of the interference expressions that directly affect the spirit and principles of the electoral observation mission.
On October 8, the high representative of the EU assured that the European electoral observation mission that must be deployed on the occasion of the regional and municipal elections will support a political partiality and that it will be their report the one to legitimize or not the electoral process. Since then, the CNE has requested a public rectification from Borrell.
