Germany also supports Venezuela’s self-appointed interim President, Juan Guaidó. But as the power struggle in the South American country runs out, others will decide. The Federal Republic is still that of a spectator.
Federal foreign Minister Maas: “position-free”?
Whether Nicolás Maduro knows that he has also in Germany, a few faithful supporters? On the Left, the Venezuelan President, the human rights accused organization Amnesty International in these days of targeted killings can leave, anyway. The Parliamentary Manager of the left party, Jan Korte, criticized the decision of the Federal government sharp, Juan Guaidó as interim President to acknowledge. The “completely position free”, Federal foreign Minister Heiko Maas was struck in the side “of the fascists Bolsonaro and the wall manufacturer Trump,” says Korte. This was a “crazy logic”, not with the same sharpness against authoritarian governments, like in Egypt or Turkey. “Because the compass is not quite true, obviously.”
“Touché” would you say the comparison with Egypt and Turkey, nevertheless, very hard to swallow, Jürgen Hardt so not want to leave. The foreign policy spokesman of the Union faction in the German Bundestag and Chairman of the working group foreign Affairs countered that this was an absurd accusation. “The only democratically legitimate force in Venezuela’s Parliament, it’s been democratically elected three years ago. The self-appointment of Juan Guaidó to the interim President, in accordance with the Constitution of Venezuela.” Guaidó to be the legitimate President for the transitional period until the presidential election. “On which side of Germany should be because otherwise, if not on the side of the Venezuelan Constitution and democracy?”, asks Hardt.
Upgrading of the words since the end of January
Once again the series to the end of January, Germany announced that Venezuela’s opposition leader Guaidó as the new interim President to acknowledge, should not President Maduro to declare within one week of elections. The German government spokesman Steffen Seibert said there is a need for “free and credible elections”. Maduro is the democratically elected President of Venezuela, says German foreign Minister Maas. The Situation in the South American country was unbearable. Democracy, human rights and the rule of law were trampled by Maduro “with feet”.
The Green politician Omid Nouripour stresses Maduro have turned the socialist System of the 2013 late Hugo Chávez in a kleptocracy. “Therefore, it is not the left, if you support Maduro.”
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Maas: “We are on the side of Guaidó”
The Venezuelan ruler was the words of caution from Berlin unimpressed: Maduro was the German election-Ultimatum – as expected – to pass.
While the European Union cannot agree on a common line to Venezuela (Italy cares the only one out of 28 member States, and blocked a Statement), declared Chancellor Angela Merkel at the beginning of February during their state visit in Japan, Guaidó was “the legitimate interim President from the German point of view” and so now the contact person for Germany: “The Person that we talk about it, and we expect that it initiates an election process as quickly as possible”.
These are not just empty words. Minister Maas handle the outside of the handset and was on the phone with Guaidó to assure the self-appointed President of Germany’s support. Germany would also provide humanitarian assistance, as soon as the political environment in Venezuela would allow.
International legal questions remain unanswered
However, this recognition Guaidós is covered really by the law of Nations? The Left doubts this, and instructed the scientific service of the Bundestag to create a report. This comes to the conclusion that the international recognition of Guaidó raised actually peoples legal issues. There were “strong grounds to believe” that this was an interference in internal Affairs, said in the seven-sided Expertise. The question was “entirely justified” if it was not to be regarded as impermissible Intervention.
CDU foreign policy expert Hardt: “On the side of the Venezuelan Constitution”
The Federal foreign Minister is still on Guaidó. Humanitarian aid will only be available with the interim President, Maas. The pressure on Maduro had to be kept high, may be a part of it “at some point of time came for additional sanctions.” For the case of economic sanctions”, it was” extremely important “that the civilian population will suffer even more than it is suffering already”.
Germany’s government is convinced to do the Right thing
Of the current Venezuela-sanctions of the European Union 18 Familiar of Nicolás Maduro are affected. Them of human rights violations, as well as the accused of undermining democracy and the rule of law. For you EU apply lock-entry bans and assets. In addition, the Export of weapons and equipment is prohibited by Venezuela, which can be used to suppress civil society.
In the last few weeks Germany has raised the pressure on Venezuela gradually, but left before Maduro long. “We have observed in the past, the opposition movement against Maduro, but there simply was no unified Opposition, which would have had the strength to allow for a constitutionally legitimate process,” says CDU foreign expert Hardt. Many of the opposition to be migrated in the prisons. With Guaidó everything is different this time. “Now the parliamentary majority stands behind the elected Parliament President.”
In the case of the balancing of interests must choose Germany
Except for Germany, more than 50 States Juan Guaidó support in the meantime. They all hope that the Situation escalated and it comes to a peaceful change. “It is a balancing of interests,” says Sabine Kurtenbach, Director of the GIGA Institute of Latin American studies in Hamburg. “Is not the interference principle, which applies to Latin America for a very long time, more important than the protection of the population, especially in the context of a humanitarian crisis?” Germany is the principle, not to interfere, and relying on the humanitarian Situation.
Latin America expert, Kurt Bach: “The Chavisten already represented a considerable part of the population”
This interference of Germany is so late in the day, for Kurt Bach good reasons: “We have since the 10. January, a new Situation, to which the Opposition refers, more precisely, the article 233 of the Constitution. Before, there was for Germany, little to criticise, except, of course, the elections in 2018, which were neither free nor fair.” The article 233 stipulates that the Chairman of the Venezuelan national Assembly will temporarily assume the office of the heads of state, if there is no legitimate President. The reasoning Guaidós and Germany: Maduro had manipulated the presidential election in may 2018. Therefore, his second term of office beginning on 10. January 2019 is invalid.
Germany’s influence low
As so often on the international stage, Germany is trying to solve through diplomatic channels to the conflict in Venezuela, for example, in the International contact group for Venezuela, which wants to achieve a peaceful Transition. “Germany must now also ensure that no violence is used, by whom,” insists Sabine Kurtenbach.
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There should be a national dialogue, by the way, not necessarily with Maduro, who have placed themselves into the Offside, “but the Chavisten already represented a considerable part of the population, and the need to involve then. It may not be the case that the part of the Opposition, back in the 1980s.”, the Latin America expert warns of a return to neoliberalism. Then, the next instability is programmed immediately.
But how to do it in the South American country, ultimately, depends on Venezuela itself. After that, the major powers, because the interests of the United States on the one hand, and Russia and China on the other hand, make the crisis to a geopolitical conflict. The European Union and Germany in the Venezuelan tragedy only extras in the back row. “Germany has in Venezuela only a minor influence,” says Kurt Bach, “you should not overestimate this influence.”