Mattarella calls for clarity in Venezuela stance

(ANSA) - Rome, February 4 - 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".