France's Macron Calls For End To Opposition Arrests In Venezuela
Sumaira FH Published November 22, 2024 | 09:20 AM
ValparaÃso, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 22nd Nov, 2024) France's Emmanuel Macron called Thursday for an end to "pressures, threats and arrests" in Venezuela following July elections that both President Nicolas Maduro and his opposition challenger claim to have won.
The French president, on a two-day state visit to Chile, addressed its parliament in the city of Valparaiso.
In a speech focused on EU-Latin America ties, Macron paused on Venezuela -- where Maduro insists he won the election despite the opposition saying it can provide substantial proof of its victory.
"The pressures, threats and arrests against opponents must stop and their release must continue," the French leader said, also calling for "full transparency" of the election results.
Venezuela's electoral commission has not released a detailed vote count despite domestic and international pressure, and only a handful of countries -- including Caracas's ally Russia -- have accepted Maduro's claim of victory.
About 2,400 people were arrested in post-election protests, of whom Venezuela's Foro Penal rights group says 131 have been released.
The opposition coalition's leader, Maria Corina Machado, has gone into hiding since the election while its presidential candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia has fled to Spain.
Gonzalez Urrutia has been recognized by the United States and others as Venezuela's "president-elect."
On Wednesday, Macron held talks with Chilean counterpart Gabriel Boric in the capital Santiago.
In Valparaiso Thursday, the French leader said he and Boric had launched an initiative to boost cooperation in ocean protection ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC) to be hosted in Nice next June.
The initiative will focus on combating "illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing" as well as expanding marine protected areas, Macron said on board the Chilean Navy's brand-new icebreaker "Almirante Viel."
"We will fight together to convince as many countries as possible to ratify the treaty on biodiversity (protection) on the high seas," said Macron.
The treaty was finalized in March last year after 15 years of negotiations, but requires 60 country ratifications to enter into force.
