A special representative of Venezuelan presidential challenger Juan Guaidó was in Malta on a mission to extend the validity of his country’s passports.
“The situation is really bad but the worst thing we can do is surrender,” said Felipe Carles Zoghbi in a speech to the Venezuelan community, at which the newly crowned Miss Universe Malta Teresa Ruglio, a Venezuelan national, was also present.
Due to administrative problems and other issues, the Venezuelan embassy in Rome has been unable to renew passports for many Venezuelans or issue new ones for children born outside the country, Mr Zoghbi said.
These were not problems unique to the Venezuelan embassy in Rome but also experienced in Venezuelan embassies worldwide, he added. In June, the Trump administration recognised Mr Guaidó’s decree and allowed this extension of passport validity for visa issuance and other consular purposes.
On Friday Mr Zoghbi sat down with the Foreign Affairs director general Maria Calleja to ask for recognition of the decree issued by President Guaidó in May authorising the automatic extension of expired Venezuelan passports for five years.
“The government of Malta showed all the willingness to help Venezuelans living in the country facing this difficulty,” said Mr Zoghbi. A commitment to improve the flow of information between both countries was also established.
Blackouts, food and water scarcity and violence have marked President Nicolás Maduro’s time in office, which has left 25 per cent of the population in need of humanitarian assistance, according to the UN. There has been a mass migration of Venezuelans out of the country.
In January, alleging that Maduro’s leadership was illegitimate due to a violation of the country’s constitution, Guaidó claimed leadership and received recognition of legitimacy from nearly 60 governments worldwide.
“We need to continue putting pressure on the regime through sanctions,” said Mr Zoghbi.
On July 17, for the third time, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the situation in Venezuela, expressing its deep concern at the severe state of emergency.
MEPs also called on the European Council to adopt additional sanctions targeting state authorities responsible for human rights violations and repression. In the resolution, adopted with 455 votes to 85 and 105 abstentions, they reiterate their full support “for legitimate interim president Juan Guaidó”.