Former Latin, Central American leaders write C’bean leaders on Venezuela situation
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Several former heads of state and governments in Latin and Central America have called on Caribbean governments to openly condemn the ongoing political unrest in Venezuela.
In an open letter to the Caribbean leaders, the former leaders including Felipe Calderón of México, Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, Mireya Moscoso of Panamá and Alfredo Cristiani of El Salvador, said they want to express “our indignation and strong public condemnation of the flagrant and escalating repression by the dictatorial and military government of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela.”Earlier this month, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Foreign Ministers called for non-interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela where several people have been killed in street demonstrations aimed at forcing the Maduro government out of power.In a statement following a meeting in Barbados, the foreign ministers “decried the violence taking place and deplored the resulting loss of life and property” and “reiterated the importance they accord to maintenance of the rule of law, respect for human rights and democracy, as well as to the fundamental principles of non-intervention and non-interference in the internal affairs of states. These values and principles were viewed as being of paramount importance when addressing international situations of concern.”Earlier, St Vincent and the Grenadines Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves had cautioned CARICOM to refrain from allowing a small group of powerful nations to dilute the “collective strength” of the 15 member regional grouping on the Venezuela issue.Gonsalves, in a three page letter to CARICOM leaders warned that a wedge is being driven through CARICOM over a plan for “regime change” in Venezuela and the group of powerful nations with the Organisation of America States (OAS) has an “agenda of naked self-interest”.He said the group has “strategically invited select CARICOM countries to their meetings and ignored the others. In the result, they have succeeded in disuniting and weakening CARICOM countries whose only strength lies in our solidarity.“This worrying development has been particularly manifest in matters relating to Venezuela,” said Gonsalves in his May 10 letter.In their open letter to the Caribbean leaders, the former heads of governments and states in Latin and Central America said they had signed declarations of the Democratic Initiative of Spain and the Americas (IDEA-Democrática), and that the “images broadcast by social media and the international press confirm” the “repressive practices” in public spaces in Venezuela.“They include assassination, torture, mass arrest and intimidation of Venezuelans, primarily young people, at the hands of police and military authorities assisted by paramilitary groups. The sole reason for the repression is that Venezuelans are protesting in the streets of their country,” they wrote.Earlier this month, the United States government announced it was imposing sanctions on members of Venezuela’s Supreme Court following a series of rulings that Washington said had usurped power from the nation’s opposition-controlled congress and sparked a deadly wave of unrest.The US Department of Treasury said it was freezing the assets of eight Venezuelan government officials on the Supreme Court in an effort to support the Venezuelan people “in their efforts to protect and advance democratic governance.”A ruling issued in late March that stripped Venezuela’s congress of its last powers was later reversed amid a storm of international criticism.The former Latin and Central American leaders said that the right to peaceful protest is recognised under international human rights law.“In the case of Venezuela, it is now the only legitimate and constitutional manner for citizens to express themselves since the Maduro regime refuses to allow democratic and electoral alternatives. This is because the Maduro government, supported by the Constitutional Chamber of the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice, refused to recognise the National Assembly, and instead decided to govern by decree, suspend elections and declare martial law.”The former leaders said that they “expect nothing less than the support of the people of the Caribbean, as well as the governments that represent them but that have remained quiet until now.“We, the undersigned former heads of state or government, have joined in this request for justice, without any hesitation, guided only by our ideals of liberty, democracy, respect of human rights and respect for the rule of law,” they wrote in their open letter.