US VP Pence Leads Lima Group, Pushes for More Severe Blockade

The so-called Lima Group countries met in Colombia to discuss next steps they might take with regard to justifying their attempts to initiate a coup in Venezuela.

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The United States led the group of 14 countries that make up the Lima Group in a meeting in Bogota, Colombia. The meeting was opened by President of Colombia Ivan Duque, leader of the host country, with which Venezuela recently cut all diplomatic relations as a result of their participation Feb 23. attempt to deliver illegal “humanitarian aid” into the country. It was not attended by two of it's members, Mexico and Costa Rica.

One of the main speakers at the meeting was Vice President of the United States Mike Pence, who spoke down on the rest of the Latin American leaders from a dais — the Latin American leaders gave their speeches while seated.

Groups were found protesting outside of the Lima Group asking for countries to stop its agression against Venezuela and for a removal of economic sanctions that have cost the country and estimated US$38 billion.

In his speech, the vice president, as expected based on previous comments, blamed the government of Nicolas Maduro for burning humanitarian aid trucks on a Venezuela-Colombia border bridge, despite those claims being disproved.

Pence also invoked language appealing to the suffering of the Venezuelan people, attempting to provide a pretext for intervention, as he doubled down on the economic blockade on the country.

Pence again reiterated that “all options are on the table” which most onlookers take as code that the U.S. wants to initiate a full-scale invasion of the country.

Despite that assertion, not all members of the Lima Group back a military solution, including Brazil and Peur, who want “non-military pressure” to be put on Venezuela.