Venezuela threatens to withdraw from OAS regional body
April 26, 2017
Venezuela has threatened to pull out of the OAS as an economic and political crisis deepens. More than two dozen people have been killed in protests in the past month, with more demonstrations planned in the coming days.
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Venezuela threatened late on Tuesday to withdraw from the Organization of American States (OAS) if the regional body holds a special meeting scheduled for Wednesday to discuss an ongoing political crisis that has claimed 26 lives in protests in recent weeks.
Venezuela's leftist government and the 34-member OAS have been arguing for months over an economic and political crisis that has prompted the regional body's head to call for the country's suspension for breaking the constitutional order.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said on state television that President Nicolas Maduro had instructed her to trigger the country's exit if a foreign ministers' meeting was held without approval from Caracas.
OAS meeting discusses Venezuela
The warning came ahead of a scheduled Wednesday meeting of the OAS in Washington to debate a proposal by 16 nations to hold a foreign ministers meeting to discuss the "situation" in Venezuela.
No member has ever withdrawn from the OAS since it was founded in 1948, but in the past Cuba and Honduras had been suspended before having their membership reinstated.
Venezuela protests enter fourth week
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A two-thirds' vote is needed to suspend a country from the OAS. Oil-rich Venezuela can rely on the support of left-wing allies Bolivia and Peru, as well as several poor Central American and Caribbean states that have received subsidized crude oil.
At the same time, the United States is applying pressure on member states and leftist governments in Argentina, Brazil and Peru have lost power in recent months.
Hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have taken to the streets over the past month to protest a collapsing economy and Supreme Court moves to strip the opposition-controlled National Assembly of power. The protests are the largest demonstrations against Maduro since 2014.
The Supreme Court decision to take over legislative powers from the Assembly was partially reversed after it came under pressure, but the opposition was galvanized by the move. Protesters have repeatedly clashed with security forces, which have used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse them.
The government accuses the opposition of stirring up violence, while the opposition blames armed pro-government militias for several killings.
Venezuela on the brink
Venezuela is facing collapse amid multiple crises. DW takes a look at what has brought the oil-rich nation to its knees.
In March 2017, violent protests erupted across the country in response to a Supreme Court decision to strip the legislative branch of its powers. Amid an international outcry, President Nicolas Maduro reversed the decision, but it was too late. Thousands continued to take to the streets, calling for new elections. More than 100 people were killed in clashes with security forces.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Barreto
Hunger, a growing problem
The violence added to the ongoing economic and political crisis in Venezuela. Many Venezuelans spend more than 30 hours a week waiting in lines to shop, and are often confronted with empty shelves when they finally enter a store. President Maduro blames the crisis on US price speculation. The opposition, however, accuses the Socialist government of economic mismanagement.
Image: picture-alliance/AA/C. Becerra
Health care in crisis
The crisis has even affected health care in the oil-rich nation. Venezuelans often head to Colombia to collect medical supplies to send home, as seen in this picture. Hospitals across Venezuela have compared conditions to those seen only in war zones. As patient deaths rise, health officials have sounded the alarm on the rise of malaria and dengue fever.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/M.Duenas Castaneda
Power grab
By July 2017, Venezuela's pro-government Constituent Assembly was established. For observers, it had all the hallmarks of a power grab. The new body adopted the authority to pass legislation on a range of issues, effectively taking away the powers of Venezuela's elected congress, which was under the opposition's control. The move drew wide international condemnation.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/P. Miraflores
The West sanctions
In response to the political crisis, the United States and European Union imposed a series of sanctions against ruling officials. The US blacklisted members of the Constituent Assembly and froze all of Maduro's assets that are subject to US jurisdiction. The EU banned arms sales to the country.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AFP/T. Schwarz
Government victorious in regional elections
In October 2017, Venezuela held two votes: regional elections and elections for governors, which were long overdue. The opposition boycotted the vote, but then split, as some candidates and small parties chose to participate. This caused a deep rift within Maduro's opponents. The government went on to sweep the vote, which detractors say was unfair and heavily favored the regime.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Debt default
In November 2017, the oil-rich, cash-poor nation faced its day of reckoning. Credit ratings agencies declared Venezuela and its state-run oil company in "selective default." But Russia offered to restructure the South American country's debt to ensure Caracas pays its other creditors. US and EU sanctions, however, limited the chance of an agreement.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
Presidential elections scheduled
The National Assembly announced in January 2018 that it would grant Maduro's call for snap presidential elections. The electoral authority, CNE, held the elections on May 20. The EU, the US and 14 Latin American nations warned that they would not recognize the results. The mainstream MUD opposition alliance boycotted the vote, leaving only one possible outcome.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/F. Parra
Maduro wins ...
Maduro was re-elected to a second six-year term with about 68 percent of the vote. Turnout was only 46 percent, according to electoral authorities. However, the MUD opposition alliance put turnout at less than 30 percent. The Organization of American States (OAS) called the elections neither free nor fair.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Cubillos
... Guaido assumes power
But weeks into the new year, the situation took a drastic turn. On January 23, 2019, parliament president Juan Guaido declared himself interim president of Venezuela — a move that was quickly recognized by US President Donald Trump. Maduro called it a US-backed "coup." Days later, the US sanctioned Venezuela's state oil firm, while Guaido staked his claim on the country's foreign assets.
Image: Imago/Agencia EFE
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Pro-government rallies have also been held. A large one is scheduled for May Day, raising the prospect of further clashes with the opposition.
Ongoing opposition
Opposition protests show no signs of abating. Another demonstration is planned for Wednesday in which anti-Maduro protesters will again try to march on the office of the chief ombudsman, a state-funded agency responsible for investigating complaints against any public authority. They are demanding ombudsman Tarek William Saab stand up for citizens' rights and take action to remove Supreme Court magistrates.
Highlighting the scale of the crisis, Venezuela's chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz said Tuesday that more than 400 people have been injured and nearly 1,300 detained over the last month. Another 26 people have been killed. She said many of those arrested would be released as the police had no evidence against them.
For more than a year, the opposition has been demanding new elections before the scheduled presidential vote in October 2018. Their attempts have been blocked by courts and an election body accused of supporting Maduro. Critically, Maduro still maintains the support of the military.