Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This is very serious. We have spoken out and will continue to speak out against military intervention. As the Deputy will be aware, the most recent EU 28 statement on Venezuela was delivered by the High Representative, Federica Mogherini, on 26 January. It reiterated that "a peaceful and inclusive democratic solution is the only sustainable way out" of the crisis in Venezula which, by the way, is the worst political, social, economic and humanitarian crisis in its history. Some 3 million refugees have left the country in the past three years and moved to neighbouring states. It was clear that if no announcement on the holding of fresh elections was made by President Maduro in the days after that EU statement, the European Union would take further actions, including on the issue of recognition of the country's interim leadership. I have been strongly in favour of co-ordinated EU action on Venezuela and fully subscribe to the European Union's common position. Far too often, the European Union speaks with multiple voices and, therefore, has no impact or effect. Instead it allows other countries to have that impact and effect.

On 3 February, in the absence of an announcement by President Maduro calling fresh elections in Venezuela, a number of EU member states began to issue statements recognising Juan Guaidó as interim President of Venezuela with responsibility to facilitate the holding of democratic elections and nothing else. Not to take a decision lightly, I took a number of days to consider our position and on 6 February decided that Ireland should join the vast majority of its EU partners, including Spain, Croatia, Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Estonia, Latvia, Portugal, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Finland, Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Slovakia and France, all of which recognise the interim arrangements and support the call for free, fair and democratic elections. They include neutral and independent countries, countries with socialist and EPP governments and so on. There is a collective effort within the European Union to try to create pressure. In our view, the only way to resolve the issue is by facilitating the holding of free and fair presidential elections which we have not seen in Venezuela for many years. I join the other EU member states mentioned in acknowledging and supporting Juan Guaidó as interim President of the democratically elected national assembly to enable him to call free and fair democratic elections. We share this position with 24 other EU member states, virtually every state in South America and many others in different parts of the world. I cannot be neutral on the dramatic humanitarian crisis unfolding in Venezuela. If any Member of the House have evidence to the contrary, I encourage him or her to share it. I reiterate that Ireland does not and will not support military intervention in this case and we have been vocal in expressing our concerns in that regard.

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