U.S. Expresses Disappointment In CARICOM’s Stance On Venezuela

News Americas, New York, NY, August 22, 2024: The Biden administration has expressed disappointment that only two Caribbean Community (CARICOM) member states, Guyana and Suriname, endorsed a joint statement advocating for democracy in Venezuela. The statement, issued on August 16 by 22 nations in Santo Domingo, calls for transparency in Venezuela’s July 28 election results and respect for the will of the people.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro speaks during a demonstration to defend the supposed victory in the presidential elections in Caracas, Venezuela on August 17, 2024. (Photo by Pedro Rances Mattey/Anadolu via Getty Images)

U.S. Ambassador to Guyana and CARICOM, Nicole Theriot, praised Guyana and Suriname for their support. “We are incredibly pleased to have these partners standing with us in defending democracy in the region and globally,” she told Demerara News online while highlighting Guyana’s growing role as a global leader.

Guyana’s Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, also emphasized the importance of the statement, urging Caribbean nations to choose the right side of history in supporting democracy. Meanwhile, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including countries like Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines, congratulated President Nicolás Maduro on his re-election, calling for national reconciliation.

Despite this, the U.S. remains disappointed that the majority of CARICOM states did not endorse the joint statement, reaffirming the importance of democratic principles in the region. The 22 signatory nations also called for the release of arbitrarily detained individuals, including opposition figures in Venezuela.

Signatory countries in alphabetical order were:

Republic of Argentina

Canada

Republic of Chile

Republic of Costa Rica

Czech Republic

Dominican Republic

Republic of Ecuador

Kingdom of España

Republic of Guatemala

Cooperative Republic of Guyana

Italian Republic

Kingdom of Morocco

Kingdom of the Netherlands

Republic of Panamá

Republic of Paraguay

Republic of Perú

Portuguese Republic

Venezuela’s Supreme Tribunal of Justice ruled yesterday that Maduro won the July 28th presidential election against democratic opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez.

The US said “this ruling lacks all credibility. “

“The publicly available and independently verified precinct-level tally sheets show Venezuelan voters chose Edmundo Gonzalez as their future leader,” the US State Department said in a statement. “The will of the Venezuelan people must be respected. Now is the time for the Venezuelan parties to begin discussions on a respectful, peaceful transition in accordance with Venezuelan electoral law, and the wishes of the Venezuelan people. Continued attempts to fraudulently claim victory for Maduro will only exacerbate the ongoing crisis. The United States calls on Maduro to release those who have been detained for exercising their right to free expression. The United States and the international community will continue to stand up for the Venezuelan voters whose will and rights have been continuously undermined since July 28. We stand ready to support an inclusive, Venezuelan-led process to re-establish democratic norms.”