US-backed OAS resolution on Venezuela fails

The nations within CARICOM have disagreed when voting on a US-backed resolution regarding Venezuela.

Six member countries voted for the proposal at the recent Organization of American States (OAS) general assembly.

The move would have seen a “group of friends” mediate the political crisis that is currently engulfing the South American state.

Belize, St Lucia, Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and The Bahamas are those that supported the resolution.

The proposal also called for President Nicolas Maduro to reconsider an assembly to rewrite Venezuela’s constitution.

Those who voted against the resolution – Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and the Grenadines – meant that the poll feel three votes short of the 23 it needed.

Imperial move?

Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Haiti, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago abstained.

After the defeat, the USA did not propose it for the final declaration.

The CARICOM bloc carries 14 votes and most of those countries benefit from favourable Venezuela oil loans, although imports are falling due to low oil prices.

Venezuelan allies at the three-day summit described the resolution as “interventionist”.