France calls for respect for freedom of expression and demonstration in Venezuela

Stéphane Séjourné demanded that the rights of Venezuelan voters be respected / Photo: El Confidencial

French Foreign Minister Stéphane Séjourné on Tuesday called for “respect for freedom of expression and demonstration” in Venezuela following the repression of protests against the results of Sunday’s elections.

“The images coming from Venezuela are those of a people whose only aspiration is democracy,” Séjourné said in a message on X.

“I call on the Venezuelan authorities to ensure the full transparency of the election and to respect freedom of expression and demonstration,” he added.

Sejourné’s request comes after France yesterday called for “total transparency” in the disclosure of detailed data on the minutes and voting centres of Sunday’s presidential elections in Venezuela.

More words

“France is calling for the full implementation of Venezuelan electoral law, which implies in particular the full publication of the minutes and results from the polling stations,” diplomatic sources said in a statement.

“Only complete transparency in the electoral process can guarantee the truthfulness of the vote and respect for the will of the voters,” they added.

The sources stressed that France “calls on the Venezuelan authorities to carry out this democratic process in a transparent manner.”

Protests

The announcement of Nicolás Maduro’s narrow victory was met with protests in Caracas and several regions of the country on Monday, some of which were repressed by the military.

The National Electoral Council (CNE) proclaimed Maduro, in power since 2013, president. According to the electoral body, he obtained 51.2% of the votes, compared to 44.2% attributed to the opposition candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia.

Paris / EFE