A&B voted against Guaido’s candidate for Venezuela’s ambassador

0
24
- Advertisement -

Antigua and Barbuda, along with four other CARICOM countries, joined Venezuela in voting against appointing Gustavo Tarre as the National Assembly’s designated permanent representative.

Antigua and Barbuda’s Foreign Affairs Minister E.P. Chet Greene said the country stands by its core principles of non-interference, respect for the rule of law, and respect for the sovereignty of nations.

 “We stand firm to our principles and I think that this would be the case for every and any Antiguan government in this situation,” Greene told OBSERVER media yesterday

The vote, which was approved by the Organization of American States (OAS) Permanent Council, was held on Tuesday to recognise Gustavo Tarre for the position. He was nominated by the Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó, who is seeking to replace President Nicolas Maduro as head of state in the South American country.

According to the OAS, five CARICOM countries – including Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname – joined Venezuela in voting against the measure; while four CARICOM countries – The Bahamas, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and St. Lucia – voted in favor of it.

Barbados, Guyana, St. Kitts-Nevis, and Trinidad and Tobago, abstained; while Belize was the only CARICOM country absent.

The OAS Permanent Council is chaired by the United States, which is at the forefront of efforts to remove Maduro from power after he was sworn into office for a second consecutive term earlier this year.

Last month, the four CARICOM countries which voted in favour of the resolution – and who have supported the so-called Lima Group that is seeking Maduro’s removal – met with United States President Donald Trump.

CARICOM has adopted a united position on the Venezuelan matter and in February – when the regional leaders at their inter-sessional summit in St. Kitts-Nevis – reiterated their position of non-interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela, and said they were prepared to mediate in the process to bring about a peaceful resolution to the crisis.

- Advertisement -