Stay out of Venezuela, CARICOM warns
Published:Saturday | January 26, 2019 | 12:00 AM
Heads of government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) have called on external forces to refrain from escalating the civil and political unrest unfolding in Venezuela.
The regional leaders, who met by video conference on Thursday evening, underscored the need to step back from the brink and called on all actors, internal and external, to avoid further destabilising Venezuela, which could have far-reaching consequences for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Dr Timothy Harris, prime minister of St Kitts and Nevis, who chaired the video conference, will seek an urgent meeting with the United Nations secretary general to request the UN’s assistance in resolving the conflict.
“Heads of government are following closely the current unsatisfactory situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a neighbouring Caribbean country. They expressed grave concern about the plight of the people of Venezuela and the increasing volatility of the situation brought about by recent developments, which could lead to further violence, confrontation, breakdown of law and order, and greater suffering for the people of the country,” read a statement from CARICOM.
GUAIDO TWIST
The ongoing political crisis in the South American nation took a new twist on Wednesday when the head of the opposition-controlled legislature, Juan Guaidó, declared himself interim president. His claim was swiftly recognised by the United States (US), Canada, and several other South American nations.
Quizzed as to whether he was considering sending the US military into Venezuela, President Donald Trump told reporters that nothing was being considered but, “all options are on the table”.
Russia and China, on the other hand, have since sided with embattled President Nicolás Maduro, with the former warning the US against military intervention.
“The long-standing political crisis, which has been exacerbated by recent events, can only be resolved peacefully through meaningful dialogue and diplomacy,” the CARICOM leaders reiterated.
Attempts to get a comment from Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs Minister Kamina Johnson Smith were unsuccessful.
Meanwhile, Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Lisa Hanna has said that the meeting of the regional leaders reaffirmed established principles of non-interference in the internal affairs of sovereign states.
“We must assist our brother and sister nations to resolve their conflicts through peaceful approaches,” Hanna said.