Venezuelan Military Vows to Defend Country Against TIAR

Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López gave a press conference Tuesday where he condemned those threatening to apply the so-called Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (TIAR) against the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people.

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"The application of an interventionist, colonialist, and imperialist instrument in the 21st century, trying to create a state of war in Venezuela, based on absurd maneuvers and the use of false flags," said the Minister Padrino López.

Lopez added that the TIAR and its possible activation is reminiscent of the Monroe Doctrine, that sees Latin America as the ‘backyard’ of the U.S. government. 

The TIAR is an agreement signed in September 1947. It functions as a mutual mechanism of ‘defense’ between member countries of the OAS. The treaty was imposed on the region by the United States within the context of the Cold War, allowing for the regional authorization of military intervention in Latin America for ideological reasons.

Last week, the OAS voted to implement the initiative against Venezuela, labeling it "a threat to the security of the region”, following a complaint made by Colombia that the Venezuelan government is colluding with dissident guerillas. However, Venezuela has exposed the complaint as being based on the use of fake evidence. 

In response to the vote at the OAS, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza responded saying "It is painful that countries which were invaded by U.S. troops and whose peoples were massacred by the application of TIAR, endorse today a similar crime against a brother country,"  

Progressive governments in the region do not recognize the U.S.-imposed TIAR. In 2013, ALBA governments such as  Bolivia, Ecuador, and Nicaragua formally withdrew from the treaty.

Lopez closed the press conference vowing to defend the country against any possible implementation of the TIAR.

“The Bolivarian armed force will defend Venezuelan territory against the attempts by very powerful interests to destabilize the government, including such attempts by the United States and the right-wing opposition.”