EU forms contact group to push Maduro for new elections

By Yusuf Hatip

BUCHAREST, Romania (AA) - The UN on Thursday formed an international contact group to push Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro for a new election.

“The group will help to build trust and create the conditions that are necessary for a credible process to emerge in line with the relevant provisions of the constitution of Venezuela enabling Venezuelans to determine their own future through the holding of new elections with all guarantees for a free and fair electoral process that can be supervised by international independent observers,” EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini told reporters in Bucharest.

She said EU foreign affairs ministers discussed new sanctions on Venezuela on Thursday.

The group will include the EU member countries France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the Netherlands and the U.K.

Ecuador, Costa Rica, Uruguay and Bolivia will also be part of the group, according to UN officials.

The group is to be abolished in 90 days if there is no political progress to secure an election date.

Ministers of member countries expect to hold their first meeting in a Latin American country as early as next week.