Venezuela revokes invitation for European Union mission to observe presidential election in July

By REGINA GARCIA CANO
Associated Press

CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) — Venezuela’s electoral authorities have revoked an invitation to a European Union mission to observe the upcoming presidential election in July. Elvis Amoroso, the head of the National Electoral Council, on Tuesday cited economic sanctions imposed by the bloc as the reason for withdrawing the invitation. The European Union had not yet accepted the invite that was extended earlier this year. Amoroso says the decision is intended to show that “they are not welcome to come here to our country” while the sanctions remain in effect. The electoral body earlier this year set the presidential election for July 28.