Exclusive: US, European lawmakers jointly condemn Venezuela's handling of election
WASHINGTON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - The leaders of foreign affairs committees of the U.S. Congress and legislatures across Europe have joined to condemn the Venezuelan government's handling of last weekend's disputed election, according to a statement seen by Reuters, an unprecedented show of unity intended to pressure Caracas to release full vote tallies.
Senator Ben Cardin, who chairs the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, worked with his counterparts across Europe to work collectively to put pressure on Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro's government.
"Our governments are closely monitoring the situation in Venezuela, and will work together to hold Maduro accountable should he continue to disregard the democratic will of Venezuelan voters to steal yet another election," said the statement, seen by Reuters ahead of its expected release.
By early Friday, leaders of foreign affairs committees from legislatures in Armenia, Moldova, Latvia, Italy, Poland, Lithuania, Germany, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Denmark and Romania had signed on to a statement, said a source familiar with the discussions.
How can the people of Venezuela decide what they need when their government is rigging elections and violently cracking down on protests?
Do you think them helpless peasants that require the intervention of big brother USA whenever there is trouble?
A statement is not an intervention
Seeding violent protests and relentless media propaganda are
I think the fear is that the US is going to or already medel in the election because they've tried like 3 time in the last decade on this guy alone. You'd have to pay me a lot of money to think the US is concerned about anything but their oil.
It's a statement and an intervention. Doesn't have to be literal military aggression to qualify as meddling.