Italy forms task force to monitor situation in Venezuela
Photo: Italy's Minister for Foreign Affairs Antonio Tajani (Getty Images)
Italy has established a permanent task force to monitor developments in Venezuela. The group was organized at the request of Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Antonio Tajani, according to the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The first meeting, chaired by Secretary General Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia, addressed all issues related to the Venezuelan crisis, as well as initiatives planned for the coming weeks.
The task force will work closely with the Italian Embassy in Caracas and the two consulates in Caracas and Maracaibo to ensure continuous monitoring of the political situation in Venezuela and issues related to political opponents and Italian citizens "subject to measures by the local authorities."
Controversial election and protests in Venezuela
Recently, Venezuela erupted in protests following the announcement of the presidential election results, in which the authorities announced the victory of the current President Nicolás Maduro with 51% of the vote.
The Venezuelan opposition accuses the government of vote-counting fraud and demands that Maduro concede defeat. International observers and the Carter Center noted that the voting did not meet international standards.
High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell says that the European Union cannot recognize the election results until all votes are counted and protocols are provided.
On August 1, Nicolás Maduro called for a review of the election results by a court under his control.
For more about the election in Venezuela and the mass protests, read RBC-Ukraine's article.
