EU Parliament recognizes Maduro rival as Venezuela president

The European Parliament on Thursday passed a resolution recognizing opposition figure Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia as Venezuela's legitimate president, after incumbent Nicolas Maduro claimed victory in the disputed vote.

The vote is non-binding and does not reflect the stance of individual EU member states.

What else do we know about the resolution?

The resolution passed with 309 votes in favor and 201 against.

"The EU should do its utmost to ensure that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, the legitimate and democratically elected president of Venezuela, can take office on January 10, 2025," the European Parliament said.

Venezuela's opposition claims Gonzalez Urrutia won the July presidential election. Gonzalez Urrutia has since fled to Spain.

Gonzalez Urrutia's claim has been recognized by the United States, while Spain and other EU member states have limited themselves to refusing to recognize Maduro's win and calling on Caracas to release voting tally sheets.

Thursday's resolution was jointly drawn up by the conservative EPP bloc and the far-right Patriots for Europe. Left-wing lawmakers in the EU parliament criticized the EPP for its willingness to work with the far-right bloc.

"This deeply worrying act shows the conservatives' total lack of scruples or any reluctance to ally themselves with political forces contrary to the fundamental values of democratic Europe," said French lawmaker Raphael Glucksmann of the center-left S&D Alliance.

Gonzalez Urrutia thanks EU; Venezuelan parliament condemns 'aggression'

Gonzalez Urrutia thanked the EU's parliament, calling the resolution "the recognition of the sovereign will of the people of Venezuela."

"My message to Venezuelans is this: The international community continues to increase its support," he posted on the platform X, formerly Twitter.

Meanwhile, the Venezuelan parliament condemned the resolution in a statement.

The parliament said it "categorically rejected the sinister aggression prompted by the fascist right of the European Parliament."

Maduro's socialist PSUV party has held an absolute majority in parliament since opposition parties boycotted 2020 elections.

The parliament also denounced what it described as "the illegal practice of the European Parliament of recognizing false governments" in an apparent reference to the body's support of opposition politician Juan Guaido, who declared himself president of Venezuela in 2019.

sdi/jsi (AFP, dpa, Lusa, EFE)