MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Eurolat lawmakers call for freedom in Cuba and fair elections in Venezuela

Strong messages to Hugo Chavez and Raul Castro

Lawmakers from the European Union and Latin America meeting in Uruguay approved two resolutions on the lack of freedoms in Cuba and on the coming electoral process in Venezuela.

The resolutions were agreed during the two-day meeting in Montevideo of the Fifth Ordinary Plenary Session of the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly, Eurolat.

Regarding the Castro brothers regime lawmakers expressed solidarity with the “Cuban democrats that struggle inside and outside the island for freedom and full compliance with human rights in the Republic of Cuba”.

They also underlined support for the “legitimate aspiration of the people of Cuba for the immediate launching of a political and democratic transition process that fully respects the people’s sovereignty”.

Lawmakers expressed support for “the demands of freedom of the press, freedom of action for political parties in a pluralist framework, free democratic elections and equally fair conditions for parties and candidates” and similarly, solidarity with demands for the liberation of political prisoners in Cuba.

Regarding Venezuela Eurolat lawmakers expressed their satisfaction with the successful political measures taken by the opposition parties that are part of the Democratic Unified Panel to present a plural and democratic alternative for Venezuela's future.

They also urged the Venezuelan government to observe the basic conditions to ensure a fair election within the framework of full respect for human rights, freedom of expression and pluralism. Further, they urged authorities to “allow the presence of international observers”.

Eurolat lawmakers also requested the Venezuelan government to refrain from using state institutions to the service of a political party, from using public propaganda and from obstructing the actions of opposition political parties, so as to ensure respect for democratic coexistence.

The plenary sessions had the attendance of lawmakers from Uruguay, Spain, France, Chile, Mexico, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Slovakia, Italy, Paraguay, Luxemburg and Guatemala among others.