Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro denounced the EU’s call for election verification as a disgrace on Monday after the controversial elections in July.

In the press conference, Maduro stated that the EU and its high representative Josep Borrell who he referred to as a disgrace, led Ukraine into a war and remained silent about the massacre in Gaza. He asserted that Venezuela did not need lessons on democracy and transparency from the EU, emphasizing that Venezuela is a sovereign country capable of making its own decisions without external interference.

Venezuela’s relationship with the EU has been increasingly strained over the years, particularly under Maduro’s presidency. The EU criticized Maduro’s government, often denouncing human rights abuses, democratic backsliding and the dire humanitarian situation in the country. It also imposed several rounds of sanctions targeting key Venezuelan officials and entities linked to the regime.

Conversely, Maduro has previously accused the EU of meddling in Venezuela’s internal affairs. The EU also recognized opposition leader Juan Guaidó as interim president in 2019.

The EU’s request for verification of the election results comes amid long-standing concerns over the integrity of Venezuela’s electoral process. Over the past decade, international observers have frequently criticized the country’s electoral processes, citing irregularities and lack of transparency. The most recent impasse over the election results also had significant implications for Venezuela’s domestic stability, with the official results of the July 28 elections yet to be published and verified by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council.