Venezuela to Mexico: Focus on Your Own Issues and Democracy

Mexico's Foreign Ministry announced in a statement on Friday that they would push for the Organization of American States (OAS) to come to a resolution on the ongoing political situation in Venezuela at the upcoming general assembly meeting on June 19-21 in Cancun. Meanwhile, Venezuela's Foreign Minister has urged the Mexican government to focus on their own numerous internal issues.

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The announcement by Mexico's Foreign Ministry signals the latest in what some have said could potentially become a diplomatic conflict between the right wing Mexican government and the embattled Bolivarian government of Venezuela, with the OAS as a venue.

“The OAS resolution on Venezuela should indicate our concern about the cancellation of elections, lack of respect for the National Assembly, the existence of political prisoners, the use of military courts to try civilians,” Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

On Tuesday, Mexico's diplomat Luis Videgaray said that Venezuela is no longer a democracy and that “urgent action” is needed.

Following what she called “vile and immoral declarations” by Videgaray, Venezuela's foreign minister Delcy Rodriguez has promised to respond by bringing forward several issues affecting Mexico, such as the 43 Ayotzinapa students who were disappeared, the murders of journalists, gang violence, hunger and widespread class disparities, according to La Jornada.

“I call it a public debate, in Cancun, we are going to debate about democracy, about human rights, about crimes. We are going to debate about violence,” Rodriguez said.

The Venezuelan Foreign Minister has emphasized the achievements of Bolivarian nation, recently published by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (CEPAL), in which Venezuela was shown to be the country with the lowest inequality in the region in spite of an economic war. She contrasted this with Mexico, saying that Mexico is one of the “most unequal countries in our region,” according to the Mexican publication Proceso.

In response to claims that Venezuela is no longer a democracy, she pointed out that Venzuelan President Nicolas Maduro is far more popular than his Mexican counterpart, the right-wing President Pena Nieto whose approval rating is in the low teens.

Indicating that they weren't up for a debate on such topics, Mexico's Foreign Ministry has said that “Mexico will not respond to the disparaging remarks and will not change its position on the situation in Venezuela,” Reuters reported.

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Venezuela has initiated the process to withdraw from the OAS, a move which the Bolivarian Government saw as necessary to preserve their sovereinty. However, the process could take up to two years and Rodriguez has promised that Venezuela will continue defending itself against interference from the international organization, La Jornada reported.

The OAS met in Washington on Wednesday in order to discuss the internal situation of Venezuela, but the meeting was suspended after the Caribbean Community (Caricom) called for further discussions and another meeting.