Sixteen countries of the American continent expressed today in the Organization of American States (OAS) their “full support” for the self-proclaimed president of Venezuela, Juan Guaidó, and called for their “security” and that of the members of the National Assembly to be guaranteed. opposition majority.
The declaration, a formula with little commitment and great tradition in the OAS, was endorsed by 16 of the 34 countries that are active members of the organization: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, United States, Honduras, Guatemala, Haiti, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and the Dominican Republic.
“We demand that the security and protection of the president in charge, Juan Guaidó, and of the members of the National Assembly be guaranteed,” read the ambassador of Argentina, Paula María Bertol, during an extraordinary session on Venezuela of the Permanent Council of the OAS.
The statement also ratifies the “constitutional authority” of the National Assembly, which has initiated the process to assume the powers of the Executive by considering illegitimate the takeover of the Presidency that Nicolás Maduro made on January 10 as the result of an election questioned by the international community.
The 16 countries support “the actions taken to request international humanitarian aid, the freedom of political prisoners, the freezing of the assets of corrupt government officials” and also support the guarantees that have been offered to the military and civilians that support the Legislative.
The Venezuelan Parliament itself has approved an amnesty for the military, an action that seeks the support of the military stratum, fundamental for those who want to claim power in Venezuela.
The 16 nations that signed the declaration expressed their “full support” for Guaidó, who proclaimed himself interim president of Venezuela on Wednesday and won US recognition. and other countries of the continent, such as Brazil, Ecuador, Argentina and Colombia.
The statement was immediately rejected by one of the representatives of Maduro in the OAS, Asbina Ixchel Marin Sevilla.
“The statement that was read here is not an OAS declaration, it is a simple pamphlet, you can not deceive the public, it is a propaganda operation that tries to justify the coup d’état,” the diplomat said. during the session for Bolivia and Nicaragua.
The declaration serves only to capture the joint position of a group of countries, but it does not have binding force nor the same strength as a resolution.
The resolutions are instruments that serve to establish the position of the OAS as an organism regarding an event and, to be approved, require the support of 18 countries, that is, a consensus superior to that expressed today through 16 States. (EFEUSA) .-
