The presidents of France, Brazil, Colombia and Argentina urged Venezuela to hold “fair, transparent and inclusive elections” in 2024, in which all who seek to participate can take part.

The heads of state and EU foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell said they backed a return to negotiations between the Venezuelan government and the opposition in Mexico, with the aim of reaching an agreement on conditions for presidential elections next year, according to a joint statement following a meeting on the sidelines of a summit in Brussels.

The process should be accompanied by an eventual and complete suspension of all types of sanctions, the statement said.

Negotiations between the opposition and the government have been stalled since November. President Nicolás Maduro recently banned opposition front-runner María Corina Machado from running for public office and rejected the participation of EU observers for the presidential vote, raising further doubts of the possibility of a free and fair vote.