Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the current political situation in Venezuela, following the Venezuelan government’s recent announcement that opposition leader María Corina Machado is banned from holding public office for 15 years, and (2) the prospects for free and fair presidential elections in Venezuela in 2024.

The Venezuelan regime's recent decision to disqualify opposition leader, María Corina Machado, from holding public office for 15 years is an attack on basic democratic rights. It is vital for opposition leaders to be able to stand for election and for opposition parties to be able to organise primaries without improper interference by the state. We have registered our thoughts about the disqualification of Maria Corina Machado and Minister Rutley issued a tweet on 2 July publicly condemning the decision. We continue to encourage all parties concerned to do everything necessary to bring about a return to democracy in Venezuela and to hold free, fair presidential elections in 2024, in accordance with international democratic standards.