The presidential elections in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela were an important democratic moment, in which millions of Venezuelans took part and whose results reaffirmed popular support for the Bolivarian process, which is all the more significant when it is expressed in the context of decades of resistance to the successive interference and destabilisation operations promoted by the USA and the European Union against Venezuela.
The PCP salutes the election of Nicolás Maduro as President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as well as all the progressive, democratic and patriotic Venezuelan forces that have achieved another important victory with this election, defeating the reactionary, anti-democratic and national abdication project.
Repudiating the manoeuvres of interference in the Venezuelan elections, which have been widely propagated, the PCP denounces the internal and external actions aimed at undermining their legitimacy, calling into question the electoral process and its results, as has happened in previous elections by the extreme right-wing putschist forces.
The PCP condemns the reaction of the Portuguese government, which is aligned with the policy of interference by the USA and the EU, and those who seek to encourage the campaign promoted by the putschist far right. What is required of the Portuguese government is a stance of respect for the sovereignty and independence of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the will of the Venezuelan people freely and democratically expressed at the ballot box – the stance that truly defends the interests of Portugal and the Portuguese people, particularly the Portuguese community in Venezuela.
The PCP recalls the list of coup attempts, economic sabotage, destabilisation and violence operations, disinformation campaigns, boycotts, non-recognition and attempts to delegitimise elections, the fabrication of puppet "institutions", interference and threats of external intervention – promoted by the USA and the Venezuelan putschist extreme right-wing, with the support of the EU and Portuguese governments and political forces.
The PCP calls for an end to the coercive measures imposed by the USA against the Venezuelan people, which also affect the Portuguese community in Venezuela, such as the economic and financial blockade or the theft of billions of assets from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela by the USA and other countries – including Portugal – which contravene the principles of the United Nations Charter and international law.
The PCP reaffirms its solidarity with the struggle of the Venezuelan people, with their right to decide their own destiny freely and in peace, with their aspiration to build a Venezuela of development, of social justice and progress, of peace and co-operation with the peoples.
