Source: European Parliament
The High Representative/Vice-President (HR/VP) is aware that Venezuela cooperates with Russia on defence matters, conducting joint military exercises and receiving military training.
Iran has maintained oil deals with Caracas in order to circumvent sanctions and obtain financial resources. The EU monitors those developments closely.
The rapprochement between Caracas, Moscow and Tehran is of concern due to potential impact on democratic stability in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region and on the EU-LAC partnership.
As the HR/VP said at the Munich Security Conference[1], the EU has to keep united and work with allies, including the United States, to counter the attempts of Russia, Iran and others to team up against the EU.
For this reason, it is crucial to continue supporting the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people, to promote an enabling environment for civil society and to uphold human rights.
Working together with key international and regional partners is essential to foster a Venezuelan-led democratic resolution to the crisis.
In doing so, the EU will pursue targeted engagement to address concerns and facilitate meaningful dialogue on human rights and the transition to democracy.
The EU will continue to protect shared values and mutual interests in Latin America. The EU has mobilised all its foreign policy instruments to foster democracy in Venezuela, including targeted sanctions against those responsible for undermining democracy, the rule of law and human rights, and by putting in place an embargo on arms and equipment used for repression.
- [1] https://www.eeas.europa.eu/eeas/munich-security-conference-press-remarks-high-representativevice-president-kaja-kallas-upon-arrival_en?channel=eeas_press_alerts&date=2025-02-14&newsid=0&langid=en&source=mail