Elections needed to resolve crisis in Venezuela

Historical archive

Published under: Solberg's Government

Publisher: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Press release | Date: 24/01/2019

‘I expect the Venezuelan Government to meet the legitimate demands of the Venezuelan people, and to respect the mandate and role of the democratically elected National Assembly under the Constitution. The Government must initiate a political process with the goal of holding credible and free elections. Norway is ready to support such a process if the parties so wish,’ said Minister of Foreign Affairs Ine Eriksen Søreide.

There were massive demonstrations in Caracas yesterday. Huge numbers of people took to the streets and demanded that democratic rules, including the right to choose their own leaders, are respected. Several lives were lost in clashes between police and protesters.

‘Any form of disproportionate use of power by the authorities is unacceptable. The security and rights of the protesters, the members of the National Assembly and its President Juan Guaidó, must be guaranteed,’ said Ms Søreide Eriksen.