BASSETERRE, St, Kitts – CARICOM Foreign Affairs Ministers have reiterated their position that the people of Venezuela have to determine their way forward.
The position was stated in a communiqué following the completion of a recent meeting of Foreign Affairs Ministers in St. Georges, Grenada.
It has been quite some time since the South American nation has been grappling with economic turmoil and political crisis.
Caribbean nations have been very much staying out of taking a position on the matter, where Opposition Leader, Juan Guaido had suggested that he is the rightful leader of the Spanish-speaking country.
That is despite Nicholas Maduro winning the country’s election.
According to the communiqué, during the meeting, Foreign Ministers received an update on CARICOM’s response to the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and expressed deep concern over the ongoing events.
“The Council reaffirmed its guiding principles of non-interference and non-intervention in the affairs of states, the prohibition of the threat or use of force, respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and respect for the constitutional framework and democracy. The Council reiterated CARICOM’s position that the people of Venezuela must be allowed to determine their own future through a meaningful and internal dialogue between the contending parties,” the statement noted.
The Ministers noted that the dialogue must determine how best the crisis could be resolved within the confines of the constitution and the rule of law, whether by referendum, elections or any other agreed mechanism.
To this end, the Ministers indicated that CARICOM would intensify its efforts to engage in dialogue with all parties.
