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It is the responsibility of OAS to protect democracy – Venezuela Ambassador to the OAS
By Kemol King
Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the OAS, Gustavo Tarre Briceño, has commended the Organisation of American States (OAS) for the stance it has taken on the electoral situation in Guyana.
Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the OAS, Gustavo Tarre Briceño
He said that it is the responsibility of the OAS to preserve and defend democracy, as evidenced by the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
That document binds the OAS and all countries in the hemisphere to maintain the highest democratic principles and to defend it wherever it is threatened.
Briceño was part of Tuesday’s special meeting of OAS’ Permanent Council that was convened to discuss the crisis in Guyana.
He pointed to Article 23 of the Charter, which states: “Member states are responsible for organizing, conducting, and ensuring free and fair electoral processes.”
Without the guarantee of democracy, Briceño said: “We consider it impossible to achieve the goals in development of human rights and security which we aspire to.”
Briceño commended the Observer Mission Chief of the OAS, Bruce Golding, for the presentation he gave on the Guyana situation.
US-backed de jure President of Venezuela, Juan Guaido
Golding, a former Prime Minister of Jamaica, shed light on the fraud of Region Four Returning Officer, Clairmont Mingo, highlighting the continued frustration of a democratic resolution of the process by the APNU+AFC coalition and its allies.
The Venezuela representative stressed that it has been months since the people of Guyana cast their ballots, without a declaration of the elections results.
Briceño said that throughout the period, there have been serious violations of the will of the people.
He endorsed Golding’s statement that the will of the Guyanese people must be upheld.
He also concurred with the statement of the Secretary General, Luis Almagro that the damage to Guyana has been pronounced, and agreed with Golding’s statement that it will take a generation and significant institutional reform for Guyana to recover its image
“In this regard,” Briceño said, “we join the calls made by CARICOM through Ralph Gonsalves, its Chair and the US delegation that the will of the people of Guyana must be respected, and their democratic right upheld. We call for this situation to be resolved quickly and in a peaceful manner.”
The representative explained that the Venezuela government is optimistic for a resolution, given the strong stance of the OAS.
However, he said it is unfortunate that issues like this continue to arise in this hemisphere, noting that this is not the first time the OAS has had to address irregularities in relation to an electoral process.
He said that what is happening in Guyana reminds him of what has been occurring in Venezuela for the last 20 years, “with the dictator Nicolas Maduro” who continues to proliferate the situation.
Briceño was not appointed by the President Maduro.
He was appointed by the Venezuelan politican, Juan Guido, who has claimed the Venezuela presidency. Maduro called Briceño a “political usurper” when the OAS voted to accept his appointment in April last year. Though Guyana had voted not to recognise the legitimacy of Maduro’s presidency in January last year, it abstained from voting on Briceño’s appointment. (Translation by Shervin Belgrave)
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