President Sergio Mattarella said
Monday that Italy must show responsibility and clarity and find
a common stance with its allies and European partners on
Venezuela.
"There can be no uncertainty or hesitation in the choice
between the will of the people and the request for authentic
democracy, on one hand, and the violence of force, on the
other," the head of State said.
Unlike the United States and other big EU states, the Italian
government has not so far recognised opposition leader Juan
Guaidò as Venezuela's interim president.
League party sources said Monday that they consider Nicolas
Maduro to be one of the last leftwing dictators around and
described him as someone who governs with force and is starving
his people.
The party of Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo
Salvini is hoping for free elections as soon as possible, the
sources said.
However, Alessandro Di Battista, a senior member of the
5-Star Movement (M5S), the other party in the ruling coalition,
said that Italy should adopt a neutral stance on Venezuela.
"The courage to maintain a neutral position is needed at the
moment," Di Battista said via Facebook.
"Italy is not used to doing this. "(In the past) we have
always fallen into line with the 'exporters of democracy' in a
cowardly way. Europe should stop obeying the orders of the
United States once and for all. The world moves on. I propose
courage and long-sightedness".
Maduro, meanwhile, has said he has written to Pope Francis
asking for an intervention for dialogue in Venezuela amid a
challenge from self-proclaimed interim president Guaidò.
"I have sent a letter to Pope Francis," Maduro said in an
exclusive interview with Sky TG24.
"I hope it is on its way or has arrived in Rome, in the
Vatican. It says that I'm at the service of the cause of Christ.
"And in this spirit, I asked for help in the process of
facilitating and reinforcing dialogue.
"I ask the pope to give his best effort, his will to help us
on the path of dialogue.
"Let's hope we have a positive response".
Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said
Maduro's letter "relaunches dialogue" in Venezuela.
Parolin declined to comment further on the letter.
Italy on Monday again blocked a joint EU statement on the
Venezuela crisis, diplomatic sources said.
At 10:00 Rome asked for time until 13:00, when i said it
could not give its OK to the document, the sources said.
The statement that was not approved read: "The EU reaffirms
its support for the National Assembly and its President and, in
line with their internal procedures and national prerogatives,
individual EU States will recognise Juan Guaidò as interim
president of Venezuela to take the country towards democratic
presidential elections".
Guaidò said he was sure Italy would join the EU's stance on
the South American country's crisis.
"I hope a fraternal country like Italy can join the rest of
Europe as soon as possible," he said.
"I'm in contact with the political leaders of the Italian
executive.
"I'm sure that Italy will be able to take this step."
Answering questions on Italy's stance, Guaidò said he
understood "there is a problem of the government majority that
prevents it" and recalled that "in Venezuela there is one of the
principal Italian communities abroad".
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