Seven EU Countries Call on Venezuela to Publish Electoral Rolls Quickly

Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attend a demonstration called by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado over the presidential election disputed results, in Caracas on August 3, 2024. (AFP)
Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attend a demonstration called by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado over the presidential election disputed results, in Caracas on August 3, 2024. (AFP)
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Seven EU Countries Call on Venezuela to Publish Electoral Rolls Quickly

Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attend a demonstration called by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado over the presidential election disputed results, in Caracas on August 3, 2024. (AFP)
Opponents of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro attend a demonstration called by opposition leader Maria Corina Machado over the presidential election disputed results, in Caracas on August 3, 2024. (AFP)

Seven European Union countries, including Italy, France, Germany and Spain have jointly called on the Venezuelan authorities to promptly publish the electoral rolls to ensure full transparency around last weekend's election, the Italian prime minister's office said on Saturday.

Venezuela's electoral council has declared President Nicolas Maduro, in power since 2013, the winner of the July 28 election with 51% of the vote, sparking immediate accusations of fraud by the opposition. The opposition says its own detailed tally shows opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez likely received 67% of the vote.

The joint statement by the seven EU countries added to a tide of criticism from abroad over the Venezuelan government's handling of the election.

Some nations, including the United States and Argentina, have recognized Gonzalez as the election winner. Last week, G7 foreign ministers expressed their solidarity with the Venezuelan people and their concern about the election results.

"We call on the Venezuelan authorities to immediately publish all voting registers to ensure full transparency and integrity of the electoral process," said the statement by the seven EU nations, which also included Portugal, the Netherlands and Poland.

"The opposition says it has collected and published more than 80% of the electoral registers produced at each polling station. This verification is essential for the recognition of the will of the Venezuelan people".



Harris Reiterates Support for Gaza Ceasefire as Conflict Escalates

Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she departs after speaking at the Tribal Nations Summit in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Nov. 16, 2021, in Washington. (AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she departs after speaking at the Tribal Nations Summit in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Nov. 16, 2021, in Washington. (AP)
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Harris Reiterates Support for Gaza Ceasefire as Conflict Escalates

Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she departs after speaking at the Tribal Nations Summit in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Nov. 16, 2021, in Washington. (AP)
Vice President Kamala Harris waves as she departs after speaking at the Tribal Nations Summit in the South Court Auditorium on the White House campus, Nov. 16, 2021, in Washington. (AP)

Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris said Washington will continue to pressure Israel and other players in the Middle East to reach a ceasefire deal in Gaza even as advocates say that the United States has not thus far used its leverage over its ally.

In an interview with CBS news show "60 Minutes," Harris said that diplomatic work with Israel is "an ongoing pursuit," according to a clip released on Sunday.

Harris sidestepped a question in the interview on whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was a "real close ally."

"I think with all due respect the better question is do we have an important alliance between the American people and the Israeli people and the answer to that question is yes," Harris said, Reuters reported.

Harris reiterated Washington's position to support Israel's right to self defense against Iran and Iran-backed militant groups like Palestinian Hamas and Lebanese Hezbollah.

"Now the work that we do diplomatically with the leadership of Israel is an ongoing pursuit around making clear our principles," Harris said.

"We're not going to stop in terms of putting that pressure on Israel and in the region including Arab leaders," Harris said.

Washington's occasional condemnation of Israel over the war's civilian death toll has mostly been verbal with no substantive change in policy.

Advocates say Washington has not put pressure on its ally by refusing to put an arms embargo that anti-war protesters around the United States and the world have demanded for months. Protests were also held over the weekend.

President Joe Biden laid out a three-phase ceasefire plan for Gaza on May 31 but a deal between Israel and Hamas has not been reached due to gaps in exchanges of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners, and Israel's demand that it maintain presence in a corridor on the southern edge of the Gaza Strip bordering Egypt.

The latest bloodshed in the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict was triggered on Oct. 7, 2023.

Israel has also been separately carrying out a military campaign in Lebanon which in recent days has killed hundreds, wounded thousands and displaced over a million.