Original: Spanish
The Council of the Socialist International meeting in New York on 6-‐7 July 2015, considering the serious political, social and economic crisis in Venezuela, as well as the frequent and reiterated violations of human rights, believes it is morally important to issue the following declaration:
The Socialist International adds its institutional voice to that of other international bodies and institutions and of well-‐known world leaders, to demand the immediate liberation of Leopoldo López, Mayor Daniel Ceballos, Metropolitan Mayor Antonio Ledezma, and political prisoners and students. At the same time, it demands the end of arbitrary persecution and imprisonment without due legal process.
We demand the guarantee of fundamental rights and the return of the exiled opposition leaders, rejecting the political disqualifications, as it is the case of Manuel Rosales, Carlos Vecchio and Carlos Ortega among others, in compliance with the universal values of human dignity, freedom, equality, solidarity and thus complying with the principles of the democratic system and the rule of law.
Expresses its concern and warns the rest of the countries and institutions who are committed to safeguard and guarantee the right to freedom of expression and democratic values, in relation to the new mechanisms of persecution against the independent media.
Hopes that the parliamentary process in Venezuela will serve to encourage dialogue and depolarisation among all political actors and the recovery of a democratic coexistence.
Finally, it requests to the National Electoral Council of Venezuela a formal invitation to attend as International Observers to the electoral process on 6 December 2015, which will elect the parliamentarians who will constitute the new National Assembly, Parlatino and Parlasur.
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