OAS backs 'constitutional order' in Venezuela
Stabroek News
December 18, 2002
Guyana and the other 33 member states of the Organisation of American States (OAS) on Monday approved a resolution fully supporting "the democratic and constitutional order" of Venezuela which is in the middle of a political crisis sparked by an ongoing strike.
The resolution, approved by the OAS Permanent Council, also rejects "categorically any attempt at a coup d'état or unconstitutional alteration of the Venezuelan constitutional regime that seriously impairs the democratic order."
Guyana's Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Odeen Ishmael, spoke on behalf of the CARICOM nations. He told Stabroek News from Washington yesterday that contrary to a December 13, report in the Venezuelan newspaper El Universal, Guyana did not vote to reject the Venezuelan government's report on the situation in Venezuela which was presented to the OAS last week.
The reports said that Guyana and nine other countries including the United States of American and Canada voted to reject the report presented by the Venezuelan government.
Ishmael reiterated that Guyana and its CARICOM partners firmly supported the Inter-American Democratic Charter, which inveighs against moves to remove constitutionally elected governments.
The resolution among other things urges the Venezuelan government and the democratic opposition to use good-faith negotiations to bring about a constitutional, democratic, peaceful, and electoral solution within the framework of the Forum for Negotiation and Agreement being facilitated by the OAS Secretary General.
It also calls "on all sectors of society in Venezuela to respect the principles enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter, including respect for human rights, the rule of law, and transparency and good governance".
The resolution reiterates as well "the member states' determination to continue applying, without distinction and in strict accordance with the letter and spirit of the Inter-American Democratic Charter, the mechanisms it provides for preserving and defending representative democracy, and rejected the use of violence to replace any democratic government in the Hemisphere".
It also asks "the Secretary General (Cesar Gaviria) to report to the Permanent Council on his mediation efforts in Venezuela, bearing in mind there are other inter-American mechanisms such as the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs."
A release from the OAS said that after the resolution was approved, Venezuela's Ambassador Jorge Valero told the Permanent Council "this solid consensus we achieved tonight is a reaffirmation by the OAS of its commitment to democracy."
