1. De cómo finalmente conseguimos viajar a Venezuela (1/3)

El chirriar de los grillos

Crónica de un viaje a Venezuela en 15 entregas

Noviembre de 2015

Fernando Maura, Gabriel Mato y Ramón Jáuregui

From: Ramón Jáuregui (Grupo de la Alianza Progresista de Socialistas y Demócratas)
To: Elmar Brok (Grupo del Partido Popular Europeo y presidente de la Comisión AFET)

"Dear Elmar,

As you already know, today I had a phone conversation with Ms Claudia Salerno, Venezuelan Ambassador to the EU. She informed me that she had not get any reply from the Venezuelan authorities on our request for a diplomat visa and, therefore, she can't issue a diplomatic visa for the Members of the exploratory mission to Venezuela.

The Ambassador conveyed to me her concern about the idea of a group of MEPs traveling to Venezuela for political meetings without a diplomatic visa. She told me that she hoped we wouldn't have any problem during the visit, meaning any kind of trouble when we arrive to the airport controls or later. She also told me that she fears a "statements conflict" between both sides (the MEPS and the Venezuelan authorities), which would be highly regrettable in her opinion.

She insisted that the composition of our Delegation as well as the chosen dates, in the midst of a politically sensitive period, aren't the best conditions for the visit. She thus suggested that a larger and more plural delegation should visit Venezuela in January - or in any case, after the December 6 elections.

Elmar Brok (EPP), presidente de la comisión AFET (Asuntos Exteriores)
en el Parlamento Europeo

Later this afternoon I spoke also to the Head of the EU Delegation in Caracas, Mrs. Aude Maio-Coliche. She told me that in her opinion, the Venezuelan Ambassador Salerno truly wants to have a good relationship with the European Parliament, so she is doing her best to avoid problems. However, she cannot assure a positive reaction from the Venezuelan Government.

On the other side, Mrs. Maio-Coliche informed me that all the meetings -with the Venezuelan civil society, diplomatic contacts, etc- scheduled in our delegation agenda have been confirmed. Nevertheless, the institutional contacts with the Venezuelan authorities have not been confirmed. The Head of Delegation will inform the Venezuelan Government that we have removed from the agenda any kind of contact with the mass media and the opposition leaders in jail or in home confinement, with the aim of avoiding problems. At any rate, Mrs. Maio-Coliche has guaranteed the availability of the EEAS security service, which will provide us with the necessary security support.

Moreover, you must know that the ALDE representative is determined to go even on his own, but in that case it wouldn't be possible for our Head of Delegation in Caracas to keep the same contacts agenda for just one MEP. In view of these circumstances, I consider that I must therefore preside de Delegation, go to Venezuela and take the possible risks . If we don't go now, we will never go. I regret there aren't any MEPs from other nationalities apart from Spain in the Delegation –that way we'd show a more pluralistic representation of the different Member States- but at this point the most important thing is that the European Parliament cannot admit the treatment received from the Venezuelan authorities. My view is that we must go now.

I look forward to hearing about your own conversation tomorrow with the Venezuelan Ambassador. If you share my feelings about the issue afterwards, I will proceed to contact the other MEPs of the Delegation in order to set the last details of the visit and travel next week.

With kind regards,

Ramón Jáuregui"

«The ALDE representative is determined to go even on his own», decía Jáuregui. Iría en cualquier caso. De modo que no había más remedio que asumir los riesgos que pudieran derivarse y viajar a Venezuela.

Este correo de Ramón Jáuregui venía a poner punto final a la —en apariencia— interminable serie de prolegómenos que este proyectado viaje había tenido.

Empezaré por los antecedentes. Una vez aprobadas las dos resoluciones de urgencia adoptadas por el Parlamento Europeo, producto del progresivo deterioro de la situación política en ese país caribeño, yo mismo, que actué como ponente de ambas propuestas por parte de ALDE, pediría en mi grupo que este enviara una misión a Venezuela en la que haríamos explícita nuestra solidaridad para con el pueblo de ese país y con su oposición. Esta delegación, aprobada después por la presidencia del grupo, estaría formada por la diputada checa Dita Charanzova, el diputado portugués José Inazio Faría y por mi persona.

Pero la Conferencia de presidentes del parlamento —en cumplimiento de la segunda de las citadas resoluciones— decidía nombrar una delegación de la cámara, por lo que decaería la propuesta de nuestro grupo.

Entonces empezaron los problemas.

PRÓXIMA ENTREGA: De cómo finalmente conseguimos viajar a Venezuela (2/3)