Washington, .- Seven countries -Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Paraguay and Peru- want the Organization of American States (OAS) to approve a resolution tomorrow to condemn the arrest of the first vice president of the Venezuelan National Assembly (AN , parliament), the opposition Edgar Zambrano.
The text, which EFE agreed to this Sunday, will be presented during a meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS that was convened in response to the decision made by the Chavista National Constituent Assembly (ANC) to withdraw parliamentary immunity to seven deputies of the National Assembly, controlled by the opposition.
The resolution seeks to reject the decision of the National Constituent Assembly, composed only of the Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, and support the National Assembly.
Specifically, the text resolves: “reject the violation of the parliamentary immunity of the deputies of the National Assembly of Venezuela, legitimately constituted through the popular vote, for constituting a violation of the Rule of Law and the division of powers.”
In addition, the seven nations that submitted the resolution seek to “condemn the arrest of First Vice President of the National Assembly Edgar Zambrano Ramírez, demanding his immediate release.”
They also call for “the cessation of the persecution and harassment of the deputies unduly processed, and that the protection of their physical integrity and that of their family members be guaranteed.”
To be approved, any resolution needs a vote in favor of 18 of the 34 countries that are active members of the OAS (Cuba belongs to the organization but has not participated since 1962).
Therefore, the text is not definitive and could be modified during the session on Monday, which will start at 4:00 pm local time (20:00 GMT).
Ten deputies of the opposition National Assembly, including Zambrano, have been accused of participating in the failed military uprising led on April 30 by the head of Parliament, Juan Guaidó, recognized as interim president of Venezuela by 54 nations.
Zambrano was arrested on Wednesday by Venezuelan intelligence services.
The arrest had a surreal touch: Zambrano refused to leave his vehicle, so the officers of the Bolivarian Intelligence Service (Sebin) ordered that the car was moved with a crane to the Helicoide, headquarters in Caracas of that intelligence body .
Venezuela has experienced a peak of political tension since last January, when Maduro swore a new term of 6 years that does not recognize the opposition and part of the international community and, in response, Guaidó was proclaimed interim president of the country, after which he was recognized as such by 54 countries.
The OAS declared illegitimate January 10 the inauguration of Maduro, but has not approved any resolution that specifically recognizes Guaidó as president of Venezuela.
Bilaterally, most of the OAS countries have recognized Guaidó as interim president of Venezuela, which has also received the backing of the organization’s secretary general, Luis Almagro. (EFEUSA)
