WASHINGTON, (Reuters) – The head of the OAS regional bloc, Luis Almagro, yesterday blamed President Nicolas Maduro’s government for Venezuela’s crisis, saying the South American oil-rich nation was now mired in poverty, corruption and violence.
Addressing the permanent council of the 34-nation Organization of American States (OAS), Almagro argued that Maduro’s government had violated basic democratic principles, which had altered the constitutional order of the country.
Despite strong opposition from Venezuela and allies like Ecuador and Bolivia, a majority of member states voted in favour of Almagro presenting his report on Venezuela to the council. The move technically invoked the organization’s democratic charter, which could eventually lead to Venezuela’s suspension.
But with little support for suspending Venezuela from the OAS, it is unclear when or whether the OAS could take up the matter again.
The meeting came as Washington opened new talks with Maduro’s government this week to ease tensions between the ideological foes. The State Department described talks between veteran U.S. diplomat Tom Shannon and Venezuelan officials in Caracas as positive.
Almagro said Venezuela’s crisis had reached breaking point.
“These challenges cannot be blamed on external forces,” he told the council, “The situation facing Venezuela today is the direct result of the actions of those currently in power.
“Venezuela should be one of the most prosperous and influential countries in the region. Instead, it is a state mired in corruption, poverty and violence. It is the population who suffers the consequences,” he added.
Almagro cited Venezuela’s “unprecedented and unnecessary” humanitarian crisis, the jailing of opposition members and reports of torture as examples of abuses by the government.
