“We have this situation and we have to work to create a solution that brings democracy, stability, and governability to Venezuela,” said Paulo Rangel to the press at the Palácio das Necessidades.

When questioned by journalists about Edmundo González, the opposition candidate who claims victory in the July 2024 presidential elections, Rangel considered it “a perfectly acceptable long-term solution, perhaps the preferable one.”

A solution that, he admitted, “probably cannot be immediate,” since the situation on the ground at this moment “is not clear.”

“It is necessary to begin a transition process to democracy,” he stressed.

Rangel argued that there is “an elected candidate, demonstrably the winner, according to independent, impartial international agencies that had access to the minutes, and he will be a legitimate president,” if the outcome of this transition process goes in that direction.

Restoring democratic legitimacy

“For Portugal and almost 10% certainty for the European Union, the solution to, as soon as possible, restore democratic legitimacy is not to reinstate [Nicolás] Maduro in power, but precisely to put in the presidency the candidate who won the elections,” he insisted.

Asked to comment on the United States intervention, which attacked targets in Venezuela and arrested Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, Rangel recalled that the Portuguese government defends respect for International Law.

“Many consider this intervention, carried out in these terms, regardless of the intentions, which are benign, not to be in accordance with international law, but given the illegitimacy of Nicolás Maduro and a narco-state elite, some believe that there may be some degree of legitimation,” he commented.

Commenting on Trump’s statement

Asked to comment on US President Donald Trump's statement that the US will govern the country for the time being, Rangel downplayed it: "I wouldn't interpret the words in that literal way."

The head of Portuguese diplomacy stated that "there will have to be a process of pacifying the situation on the ground, which may involve talks with agents of the current regime and the involvement of the opposition," and in which the US "will have a pivotal role in this dialogue."

Rangel argued that countries like Portugal, but also Spain or Italy, which have significant communities in Venezuela, have "an important influence" to "create the conditions so that, as soon as possible, a democratic solution, endorsed by Venezuelans, can be the governmental solution."

The future of the country was, he stressed, the main focus of a meeting this afternoon between the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, and the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro.

Portuguese diaspora

Rangel expressed concern about political prisoners, including five Portuguese-Venezuelans.

“But there are many more, and it was very important that this signal be given at this time,” he commented.

Regarding the Portuguese community – one of the largest in the diaspora – he reiterated that it is the Government’s “primary concern,” and that there is no indication that anyone was injured or suffered property damage.

The head of diplomacy stressed that the Portuguese community is “very influential and highly visible,” and that it has “suffered a great deal” under “the dictatorship of Hugo Chávez and then Nicolás Maduro.”

Rangel highlighted the “great resilience” of the Portuguese community over the years.