During the G7 summit, the countries condemned Venezuela for excluding the EU from observing its upcoming presidential elections. They expressed deep concerns about the rights of opposition members within the electoral process and called on Venezuela to ensure competitive and inclusive elections. The National Electoral Council’s decision to exclude the EU mission came after the bloc imposed individual sanctions against some Venezuelan officials.
The G7 countries are urging Venezuela to uphold democratic principles and respect the rights of all participants in the electoral process. President Nicolas Maduro is running for a third term, with his main opponent being Edmundo González Urrutia, who was appointed by the main opposition alliance after Maria Corina Machado was disqualified from holding public office. The countries also called on Venezuela to end harassment of opposition members and immediately release political prisoners.