THE HAGUE - The Dutch political party CDA is calling on the Netherlands to actively push for the European Union to impose new sanctions against the Venezuelan government and to strengthen support for the opposition in the country. This appeal stems from a series of written questions submitted by CDA Member of Parliament Derk Boswijk to Prime Minister Dick Schoof and Minister of Foreign Affairs Caspar Veldkamp.
Boswijk is particularly concerned about why the Netherlands has not yet "explicitly recognized the victory of the Venezuelan opposition." He questions the government's stance on the matter and seeks clarity on several related issues.
One of the key questions posed by Boswijk is regarding which countries, governments, and international organizations have so far recognized opposition candidate Edmundo Gonález Urrutia as the legitimately elected president of Venezuela. He also inquires whether the Dutch government is aware of the "irrefutable evidence" claimed by the U.S. Secretary of State, which purportedly proves the opposition's victory in the Venezuelan elections.
Boswijk further presses the Dutch government on whether it shares the U.S. government's belief that this evidence is indeed irrefutable, and if not, why this is the case. He also questions the delay in the Netherlands and the EU explicitly recognizing the opposition's win and how long the Venezuelan National Electoral Council should be allowed to withhold official election results before the EU takes definitive action.
The CDA MP references a statement from the U.S. Secretary of State, which emphasizes the importance of re-establishing democratic norms in Venezuela and suggests exploring ways to support this process with international partners. Boswijk urges the Dutch government to consider how international cooperation could reinforce the restoration of democracy in Venezuela, including the potential imposition of sanctions.
He concludes by asking whether the Netherlands is willing to work within the EU framework and with other international partners to impose sanctions or other measures against the Venezuelan government or its electoral council. Additionally, he seeks information on how the Netherlands and the EU could further support and strengthen the Venezuelan opposition and whether the Dutch government is committed to pursuing these efforts.