Alfano on Venezuela. Violence can never be the response to the population’s requests

“I am following with deep concern the development of the protests underway and I express my firmest condemnation of the violence witnessed in the past few days,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Angelino Alfano, on the street clashes in Venezuela. “I repeat that violence cannot be the response to the population’s legitimate requests and that the liberty to peacefully express one’s opinions is an unalienable right of all individuals. The crisis in Venezuela must be solved through the respect of human rights – including the civil and political rights of the opposition – and of democratic institutions, within the framework of the State’s balance of powers, by agreeing on scheduled elections that would enable the people to vote in order to overcome the current critical stalemate. We share the positions expressed in this sense by Regional Organisations and the European Union and we continue to support the efforts made by the Holy See to favour dialogue, as we are convinced that the international community must be united in asking the Venezuelan Government to act in a balanced and responsible way,” added Minister Alfano.