Venezuela: the elections of December 6

The Dominican Republic deeply regrets that yet another opportunity has been lost for Venezuela to hold an electoral process that all of us could recognize today. The guarantees and the necessary conditions were not provided, nor was there broad participation by political actors and citizens; neither was there room for the participation of impartial observers. We wish to make clear that from the non-recognition and rejection expressed in this resolution of the electoral process carried out on December 6 in Venezuela, we cannot deduce or assume some kind of tacit extension of the constitutional mandate of the legislative body or of its members.

We likewise insist on asking all actors in the international community to act without delay to address the critical situation Venezuela is going through today, especially with regard to human rights, the precarious humanitarian situation of part of its population and the democratic deficit in general.

Finally, we wish to stress the need for collective reflection in order to accept, unequivocally, that the reconciliation of Venezuelan society can come about peacefully only through dialogue, negotiation and the consultation of Venezuelan citizens, without preconditions and with the accompaniment that they themselves determine.