European Union (EU) top diplomats on Monday urged Venezuela to hold “fresh” presidential elections, days after Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was sworn in for a second term. In a move aimed to bring Caracas to heel, the EU foreign ministers threatened to swiftly impose “targeted and reversible restrictive measures”, according to the conclusions adopted at the EU’s Foreign Affairs Council.
Maduro was sworn in for a second term on Thursday, after he won the presidential elections by a wide margin on May 20.
His re-election also prompted a diplomatic row between Caracas and Washington, with the two sides reciprocally dispelling diplomats.
Maduro was first elected in 2013, pledging to strengthen the Bolivarian Revolution launched by former President Hugo Chavez.
His second term will conclude in 2025.
