The Minister of Foreign Affairs considers that “there may be some degree of legitimization” of the American intervention and argues that Edmundo González is the most obvious choice for power.
The Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs defended “a solution that brings democracy and stability” to Venezuela, admitting as preferable that the former opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia assume the presidency, “in due course”.
“We have this de facto situation and we have to work to create a solution that brings democracy, stability, governability to Venezuela”, said Paulo Rangel, in a statement to the press, at Palácio das Necessidades.
Asked by journalists about Edmundo González, the opposition candidate who claims victory in the July 2024 presidential elections, Rangel considered it to be “a long-term solution perfectly acceptable, perhaps preferable”.
A solution that, he admitted, “probably cannot be immediate”, as the situation on the ground at the moment “is not clear”.
“It is necessary start transition process for democracy”, he highlighted.
Rangel argued that there is “an elected candidate, proven winner, according to international, independent, impartial agencies, who had access to the minutes, and will be a legitimate president”, if the result of this transition process is in this direction.
“For Portugal and almost 10% certainty for the European Union, the solution of, in the shortest possible term, regain democratic legitimacy it is not reset [Nicolás] Madure in power, it is precisely to put in the presidency the candidate who won the elections”, he insisted.
Asked to comment on the intervention of the United States, which attacked targets in Venezuela and detained the Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, Rangel recalled that the Portuguese Government defends respect for International Law.
“Many consider this intervention to be carried out in these terms, regardless of intentions, that are benigndo not comply with international law, but taking into account the illegitimacy of Nicolás Maduro and a narco-state elite, there are those who understand that there may be some degree of legitimation”, he commented.
Asked to comment on the statement by US President Donald Trump that the US will continue to govern the country for now, Rangel downplayed: “I wouldn’t interpret the words in that literal way”.
The head of Portuguese diplomacy stated that “there will have to be a process of pacifying the situation on the ground, which may involve conversations with agents of the current regime and the involvement of oppositions” and in which the USA “will play a pivotal role in this dialogue”.
Rangel maintained that countries like Portugal, but also Spain or Italy, which have important communities in Venezuela, have “an important influence” to “create the conditions so that, as soon as possible, a democratic solution that has been approved by Venezuelans can be the government solution”.
The future of the country was, he highlighted, the main focus of a meeting, this afternoon, between the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.
Rangel realized the concern for political prisonersincluding five Portuguese-Venezuelans.
“But there are many more and it was very important that this signal was given at this time”, he commented.
Regarding the Portuguese community – one of the largest in the diaspora -, he reiterated that it is “the first concern” of the Government, which has no indication that anyone has been injured or suffered property damage.
The head of diplomacy highlighted that the Portuguese community is “very influential and highly visible”, which has “suffered a lot” with “the dictatorship of Hugo Chávez and then Nicolás Maduro”.
Rangel highlighted the “great resistance” of the Portuguese community over the years.
