Venezuela must strengthen separation of powers -E.U. election observers report

FILE PHOTO: A member of the National Electoral Council explains the operation of the voting machine to election observers with the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM), ahead of Sunday's election November 21, as part of their first mission to the South American country in 15 years, in Caracas, Venezuela November 4, 2021. REUTERS/Leonardo Fernandez Viloria/File Photo

CARACAS (Reuters) - Venezuela must reinforce its separation of powers, especially the independence of its judicial branch, to give more autonomy to its electoral commission and improve the voting process, the European Union's electoral observation mission said on Tuesday.

The recommendation is among 23 included in the mission's final report on regional and local elections that took place last November, the first time in 15 years that EU observers were present at a Venezuela vote.