Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Government continues to be deeply concerned by the political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela. This crisis continues to have a grave impact on the Venezuelan people. It has resulted in mass migration, affecting countries in the region and overall regional stability.

Particularly distressing is the human impact of the crisis. The UN estimates over 3 million people, approximately one tenth of the entire Venezuelan population, have already left the country. The acute humanitarian needs in the country are well known, particularly regarding shortages in access to medicine, significant increases in malaria, infant and maternal mortality, as well as acute malnutrition.

On 10 January, President Nicolás Maduro started a new mandate on the basis of non-democratic elections held in May 2018.Ireland was not represented at the inauguration and fully supported the related declaration by the EU High Representative and Vice-President of the Commission, Ms Federica Mogherini, which urged President Maduro to release all political prisoners, to uphold the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms and to urgently address the needs of the population.

Ireland, alongside its EU partners, has repeatedly called on the Venezuelan Government to engage in dialogue with the opposition, respect the electoral calendar and fully restore the country's democratic institutions. It is regrettable that the Venezuelan Government has not heeded these calls for fresh presidential elections in accordance with internationally recognised democratic standards and, indeed, the Venezuelan constitutional order.

Ireland fully supports the most recent EU 28 statement made by the High Representative and Vice-President of the Commission, Ms Mogherini, on 26 January which reiterates that a peaceful and inclusive democratic solution is the only sustainable way out of the current crisis and reaffirms the full support of the EU to the democratically elected National Assembly. It stated that if no announcement regarding fresh elections were to be made over the intervening days, the EU would take further actions, including regarding the issue of recognition of the country's leadership. Ireland reaffirms its full support for the democratically elected National Assembly, the last remaining fully democratic institution in Venezuela, emphasising that its powers need to be restored and respected. Ireland supports the call made by the President of the National Assembly, Mr. Juan Guaidó, for free, fair and democratic elections.

Ireland is committed to finding ways to foster shared democratic solutions that can bring political stability and address the pressing needs of the Venezuelan people, including by increasing EU humanitarian support.

A credible, meaningful dialogue leading to an inclusive democratic solution is the most effective way of achieving a peaceful and sustainable resolution of the current crisis in Venezuela. Ireland also supports the remarks made by the High Representative and Vice-President of the Commission, Ms Mogherini, following the informal meeting of EU foreign Ministers in Bucharest on 31 January, including regarding further EU actions to increase humanitarian support and to consider additional targeted sanctions. Ms Mogherini also took the opportunity to announce the establishment by the EU of an international contact group for Venezuela. Ireland, while not seeking membership, welcomes its establishment and believes that the international contact group will be a useful vehicle for facilitating dialogue and working towards a democratic solution. I look forward to the report of the first meeting of that international contact group which is to be held in Montevideo this Thursday.

I welcome the high priority given to the issue by the EU and the regular consultations at the highest levels on developments on the ground. Ireland remains in close contact with our EU partners to consider our next steps for a co-ordinated EU action.