The European Union regrets the exile of Edmundo Gonzalez.

The European Union insisted on Monday that it would not recognize Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s president, but it also did not recognize opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said in New York.

Borrell explained in a meeting with the media that he held an informal meeting with European foreign ministers on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, focusing on the conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine. Spain has asked to address the situation in Venezuela.

“They know that we cannot recognize the legitimacy of the democratically elected (Nicolas) Maduro, We regret that Edmundo (Gonzalez), the opposition candidate, has had to leave the country and seek political asylum in Spain.“The diplomat said,”

The data underscores the EU’s diplomatic stance after the European Parliament this week approved a non-binding resolution recognizing Gonzalez as the legitimate winner of Venezuela’s elections scheduled for July 28.

He added that The European Union will continue to “support Venezuela’s right” to democracy.For freedom and political activity, he said he asked the Venezuelan authorities to “put an end to the repression, arbitrary arrests and harassment of the opposition and civil society.”

In addition, he called for “the immediate return of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (Volker Türk) to Caracas” and stated that “only a peaceful and inclusive solution led by Venezuelans will make a democratic transition possible in Venezuela.”