US disappointed in Caribbean support over democracy in Venezuela; lauds Guyana-Suriname statement

  • Aug, Thu, 2024

The Biden administration in the United States has voiced disappointment that only two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states—Guyana and Suriname—have endorsed a joint statement calling for democracy in Venezuela.

“We were extremely pleased that the governments of Guyana and Suriname signed on to that statement,” US Ambassador to Guyana and CARICOM, Nicole Theriot told Demerara Waves Online News. “It’s incredibly important to us that we are all together in defending democracy in this region and globally and it meant a lot to us to have those partners in the region…”

Theriot hailed Guyana’s decision to ink the statement that was issued on August 16, by 22 countries that met in Santo Domingo de Guzmán, the capital of the Dominican Republic.

“Especially, Guyana, becoming a global leader … It meant so much to have Guyana on that statement and we’re very, very grateful. We hope that it will have an impact on President Maduro and his administration moving forward,” she said.

H.E. Nicole Theriot, US Ambassador to Guyana and CARICOM. [Image courtesy U.S. Embassy in Guyana]

That joint statement on Venezuela calls for the immediate publication of all original records and the impartial and independent verification of Venezuela’s July 28 election results, preferably by an international entity, to ensure respect for the will of Venezuelans as expressed at the polls.

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, in re-posting the statement on his Facebook page, said:

“Democracy will triumph, and those states, including Caribbean leftists which seek to justify rigging, must decide which side of history they want to be on.”

Members of the sub-regional Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS)—Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, and St Vincent and the Grenadines—had issued a joint statement in support of the re-election of President Nicolás Maduro:

“We congratulate President Nicolás Maduro Moros, on his victory and re-election to the Presidency of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for a third term and urge that every effort be made towards national reconciliation.”

The US Ambassador said the US is disappointed that the other CARICOM member states did not support the statement.

“That’s actually disappointing. You know, for us, it seems very clear that to support democracy, certain things need to be done with regard to the election,” she said, “and if those other countries chose not to sign on, that’s their right, but we’re quite disappointed.”

The 22 signatory nations to the joint statement called for the respect for human rights, and the immediate release of persons, including opposition representatives, who have been arbitrarily detained. —WASHINGTON, D.C. (CMC)

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