European Parliament urges Venezuela to hold elections as soon as possible

With a margin of 450 in favor, 35 against and 100 abstentions, the EP adopted a resolution condemning what was termed the continued violation of constitutional order in Venezuela, urging President Nicolas Maduro to restore democratic order and free political prisoners.

In a press release, the EP said: "there can be no durable peaceful solution for Venezuela in the long term if there are political prisoners."

It urged the Venezuelan government "to present an electoral calendar allowing free and transparent electoral processes and to stop sidelining opposition leaders by depriving them of their political rights."

The EP was placing the spotlight on Caracas after the Venezuela Supreme Court Mar. 29 ruling to strip legislative powers from the opposition-controlled national assembly.

A U-turn on the decision failed to quell a public backlash which evolved into huge opposition protests.

Demonstrators and political opponents were accusing Maduro of becoming a dictator, while Maduro has decried the unrest_ in which over 20 people have been killed_ as an attempted coup d'etat.

Lawmakers at the EP expressed their serious concern for what they perceived as the grave deterioration of democracy, human rights in a climate of increasing political and social instability.

The EP said it strongly condemned the "brutal repression" being carried out by Venezuelan security forces and militias against the peaceful processes.

It also urged the Maduro's government to allow entry for an EP delegation to Venezuela and to facilitate international aid deliveries for vulnerable people in the country.