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News > Latin America

Latin America Rejects OAS Call to Cancel Venezuela Elections

  • The date for Venezuela's presidential elections was set after the opposition refused to sign an agreement with the government.

    The date for Venezuela's presidential elections was set after the opposition refused to sign an agreement with the government. | Photo: Reuters

Published 23 February 2018
Opinion

Venezuelan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for North America Samuel Moncada accused the OAS of promoting violence and destabilization.

Venezuela, Nicaragua, Bolivia, the Dominican Republic and El Salvador have rejected a resolution by the Organization of American States (OAS) requiring Venezuela to cancel its planned April 22 presidential elections.

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Late Friday, Venezuelan Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for North America Samuel Moncada accused the OAS of promoting violence and destabilization in the Latin American nation.

Speaking from OAS headquarters, Moncada – also a United Nations representative – said the organization was trying to install a government that would bow to the interests of the United States

"We reject this new aggression by a group of OAS states that persist in seeking to protect Venezuela in flagrant violation of international law, disrespect for the sovereignty and self-determination of peoples," Moncada told the Permanent Council of the OAS.

He also rejected the resolution proposed by Mexico and the United States for Venezuela to reconsider the presidential elections.

A formal statement issued earlier on Friday and presented by Nicaragua's First Lady and Vice-President Rosario Murillo said: "The government of Nicaragua ratifies its invariable, principled position on respect for the sovereignty and independence of States and peoples."

The statement went on to reiterate the Daniel Ortega administration's "support for Venezuela, President Nicolas Maduro and the Bolivarian people in the defense of its institutions, its legislation and its own, sovereign and independent decisions."

Ortega had refused to attend the OAS meeting called late Thursday on the grounds that it concerned "interventionist declarations and resolutions" against the Venezuelan government and people.

Luis Alvarado, Nicaragua's ambassador to the OAS, said the government would not endorse the council or its agenda, which he described as "illegitimate, illegal and violating international law.

The date for Venezuela's presidential elections was set after the opposition refused to sign an agreement with the government following prolonged dialogue in the Dominican Republic aimed at restoring peaceful relations between the two parties. 

The opposition Democratic Unity Table (MUD) has since confirmed it will not take part in the April 22 elections.

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