The European Parliament’s decision showed Europe is with us, Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado said in an exclusive interview.
Venezuela’s leader Nicolás Maduro once again attracted global attention by pressuring everyone to accept him as the winner of the presidential election in July, forcing the united opposition’s candidate, Edmundo González Urrutia, to flee his country.
Venezuelan activists and international NGOs say that the regime has adopted its harshest repressive measures after accusations of electoral fraud turned international.
But it seems like this time, the West has had enough.
On Thursday, the European Parliament voted in favour of a non-binding resolution stating that González, not Maduro, is the legitimate winner of the presidential election.
The partnerships with Russia, Cuba and Iran, as well as oil, gold and drug trafficking and human rights violations, have put Venezuela among countries antagonist to the interests of the West.
In an exclusive interview, the leader of the Venezuelan opposition, Maria Corina Machado, told Euronews why Venezuela is crucial for European interests and why the decision in Brussels matters so much to her and her compatriots.
Euronews: The situation in Venezuela is particularly tense. What is happening now in the country? What is the latest information about the political situation and the general atmosphere in the streets of Venezuela?
Maria Corina Machado: Since the extraordinary victory of July 28 in the presidential elections, where Edmundo González Urrutia was elected president, Maduro unleashed a wave of repression like never before.
We are in a situation of maximum persecution, and practically all the leaders that had to do with the organization of the elections are currently either in hiding, exiled, or refugeed abroad, or detained.
Euronews: Under these circumstances, is there still a social base and a political platform that justifies, even if they don’t legitimise, the presence of Maduro and his party or his political force in power?
Machado: This is a very important point because somehow the regime succeeded, first Chávez and then Maduro, in creating a narrative that spread the idea that Venezuela was a polarised country.
These results (of the presidential elections) are the evidence of the opposite. The social movement that Chavism once used to be has been discarded. It’s over. All that’s left for Maduro is to entrench himself behind the deeply corrupt military establishment. But that’s all that has been left.
Euronews: The Venezuelan Armed Forces were traditionally tied to the Western security system. What happened in the Armed Forces, in their cadres, in their ranks, that accepted to enter into a system of alliances (Russia and Iran) that is antagonistic to the Western one?
Machado: As you say, for many decades, the armed forces were at the service of the nation, the republic, and democracy. They guaranteed respect for popular sovereignty and the turnover of the political forces in power.
Chávez, coming from the armed forces, understood that an independent, professional, institutional army would not allow the surrender of national sovereignty to other countries or other regimes.
hanks to the penetration that Cuba has had in Venezuelan institutions, he sought a way to weaken the armed forces, infiltrating it with external agents, Cuban agents who came to change the Venezuelan military doctrine and switched to the doctrine of the internal enemy.
Who is the internal enemy? The people, the people. And in terms of technology, and the acquisition of weapons and communication systems it moved from the Western block to Russia and we see those million-dollar purchases in the last 20 years have been of Russian weapons and technology.
Euronews: Apart from oil, Venezuela has many other resources. In recent years, it has also developed a resource that, let’s say, is not legal, which is drug trafficking and cocaine production. Yet, looking at the figures, it cannot be said that it is not a decisive factor in Venezuela’s GDP. Does this somehow serve as a source of informal bribery for the military leadership you just spoke about?
Machado: You said how it is possible that the country with the largest oil reserves in the world has no gasoline and no electricity, children go to classes two days a week, and hospitals have no water. A teacher earns less than a dollar a day.
And as we see, of course, migration is growing. And I want to make this point. Venezuela is today the biggest migratory crisis in the world, bigger than Ukraine or Syria. And in these days of brutal repression by Maduro, I will give you some figures: the migration to Brazil before the election was some 50 people crossing the border a day. Last week, this was peaking at more than 800 Venezuelans a day.
This is a tragedy when society feels that it has no future in its country. And one says well, where does the money come from? Because they ended oil production. Venezuela should have been producing more than six or 7 million barrels a day today and is producing less than 900,000.
So, where does the money come from? The money is derived from illegal activities, not just drug trafficking (but) also trafficking in gold and other minerals. Trafficking in human beings. Not only does that money go to the top leadership, military, or other actors, It is also used for the repression, persecution and censorship of Venezuelans.
Euronews: You spoke of a loss of oil production. According to available data, in 2000, it was 3.2 million barrels a day, and today, it is 0.7 million. Does this sound correct to you?
Machado: A little bit more. A little more nowadays, but it’s still irrelevant. And Venezuela has become a totally marginal player while having the potential to become the energy hub of the Americas.
And that is what is going to happen with our government, because Venezuela today is the country that has the last place in the rule of law in the world, according to the World Justice Project. So, who is going to invest? European companies that have codes of transparency of anti-corruption practices?
They know that entering a country like Venezuela, allying themselves with the Maduro regime, they have a serious problem with their image, their care and with practices that are obviously contrary to their principles. Today, Venezuela actually has one, which is a tiny contribution to the global energy market.
Euronews: The European Parliament voted on a non-binding resolution that declares that it practically recognises Edmundo González Urrutia as the real winner of the elections in Venezuela, but the result is quite controversial because there are 309 votes in favour, 201 against and 12 abstentions. Among the 201 who voted against them were the Socialists, who, in any case, are a democratic political force in Europe, while the 12 abstentions came from the liberals. How do you explain this? Europe is not interested on Venezuela?
Machado: What happened today is historic, very important for our struggle and it sends us a message that Europe is with us, because if we see this a little below the surface of the ideological discussions that exist everywhere in the world, we realise that the resolution was voted by all groups, including the socialists.
So, let’s not dwell on minor aspects; Europe recognises that Maduro didn’t win. I think what happened today is a very important step. I want to thank all MEPs and the peoples of Europe, because this goes far beyond governments. Venezuela is a global cause for all who love democracy and freedom.
Euronews: The Spanish government plays an important role at the European level when it comes to Venezuela.
Machado: The case of Venezuela is critical to the security of the Western hemisphere and is dramatic on the human level. As I said, more than 8 million Venezuelans have had to flee the country, and many millions more will if this tragedy continues.
Many European countries have historically not assumed leadership with Latin America, but in this case, they have done so. This is the case for France, the Netherlands, Italy, and Germany.
These countries understand the West’s current priority, which is the peaceful resolution of the Venezuelan conflict as soon as possible.
I do believe that the Spanish government must go much further, because they know what the truth is, as do other European countries, and proceed to recognise Edmundo (Gonzalez) as the elected president. It’s a very important message, not only for Venezuelans, but also for Maduro.
Euronews: In another era, the US would have reacted differently in Latin America. How do you explain this? It is not a total absence, but this, let’s say, a lack of decisive action on the part of the US in what has traditionally been part of its sphere of political interests since the Monroe Doctrine.
Machado: It is clear that it is not easy to confront the regime of Venezuela. This is not a conventional dictatorship. If it were, believe me, it would have ended a long time ago. This is a criminal structure that has many interests.
This regime has opened the doors to Russia, to Iran, to Syria, to Islamic terrorist groups. They are allied with the cartels of the drug trafficking, with the international organised crime networks.
That is why today we see how even countries or governments in the region that were ideologically allies of Maduro in the past are also working today and contributing to a democratic transition, as in the case of President Lula of Brazil or President Gustavo Petro of Colombia, or the president of Chile himself, who has had a very firm, very valuable position.
So, I feel that the concert of Western countries have to understand that this is the time to raise the costs of staying in power for Maduro. Only when the cost of staying in power by force is greater than the cost of accepting a negotiated transition will Maduro accept the terms of a negotiation, which is what we are proposing.
But the point here and I want to convey this very clearly: every day that passes, Maduro is weaker and more isolated.
Euronews: What is the specific political role that could be played by Europe, besides a resolution that you said it is extremely important, but it remains a non-binding resolution?
Machado: Europe can do many things politically, financially, and communicationally. What would happen if 3, 4 or 5 million Venezuelans leave the country right now? Many would go to Europe, to Italy, to Portugal, to Spain.
This is not an issue of the left or the right, this is an issue of freedom versus oppression, this is an issue of corruption versus justice and this is an issue of a brutal violation of human rights versus respect for them.
I believe that Europe must address a policy of individual restrictive actions against human rights violators so that the cost of repression increases for those who are now being forced to persecute or to repress, who know that this would have a huge cost for them or for their families.
And of course, to close the sources of criminal financing that the regime gets via gold, minerals, prostitution and drug trafficking. Europe can do a lot in that regard.
Euronews: Does Europe have specific responsibilities? What does Europe have to do with this type of illegal production or trade?
Machado: Absolutely. And many countries in Europe end up having their financial system used for hiding resources that come from corruption or crime.
Euronews: Which countries are these?
Machado: Well, in general there are several. And I prefer, in this case, not to mention them.
Euronews: Are there Sicilian mafia cartels that operate in Venezuela?
Machado: there are financial schemes that have been used by the regime. In many cases they (some regime members) even have properties in the European countries, real estates, in several cities in Europe. And they know it.
So, I think this is a time when you have to understand that these resources are being used by Maduro for repression, for the violation of human rights
Euronews: Oil can bring a lot of benefits to a country. Yet, history has it, it can create a lot of problems to some countries like Venezuela that are commonly known as the “petro-states”. Despite the problems inherent to the regime since the time of Chávez, Venezuela was affected also by older unresolved contradictions related to the oil economy. What could be done (to fix these problems) when the current regime is gone?
A: If the state controls (the oil) to become powerful and subjugate society, it is, of course, a condemnation. But if it is used as a mechanism to make society more competitive, so that there are investments, so that Venezuela can also be a country that is inserted in the energy transition and that promotes companies, employment, it will generate services of the highest quality for Venezuelans.
Yet instead of being just a solution to the global energy conflict, a sort of a blessing, we have seen that in the hands of Chavism it has been a disgrace for the country, for Venezuela and for the region.
But we are going to transform Venezuela. Listen carefully to me: we are going to make it the energy hub of the Americas. Oil will generate wealth based on knowledge, work, and the inclusion of all society — a productive working society with values and respect for dignity. And this can only come from freedom.
Euronews: This is why I was asking, where is the oil?
Machado: That’s one of the lessons we’ve learned, and it’s very powerful. Wealth is not in oil. And that is the great lesson of Venezuelans. But we are going to take advantage of oil to turn Venezuela into a prosperous nation to which our children return, which unites us today with Venezuelans. The law of having our children back.
Euronews: A lesson that could be extended to other major oil powers?
A: Absolutely. And a lesson on the value of democracy and freedom. You have to take care of it her every day.
We thought it was something we had already inherited. When you lose it, it costs a lot to get it back. But freedom is then valued like never before. As well as love for family and the possibility of living in your country with dignity.
