Venezuela steps on ALBA toes

WASHINGTON, USA — At least one member country of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) has expressed surprise that its government was not consulted prior to the publication in Thursday’s Washington Post newspaper of an advertisement, presumably paid for by Venezuela, criticising recent remarks by the Organisation of American States (OAS) secretary general.

“My government was very surprised to see on page A19 of the Washington Post of today (26 May 2016) a full page advertisement, purportedly issued by ALBA, in which the name of Antigua and Barbuda was included,” said Sir Ronald Sanders, Antigua and Barbuda’s ambassador to the United States.

The full text of the advertisement in question, shown below, appears over the names of all ALBA member nations:
 

Special Communiqué on Venezuela

The member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America­ People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) categorically reject the press release issued on May 18, 2016, by the secretary general of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, as well as the systematic aggressions of the official who holds the position of the general secretariat of the organization against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, its legitimate government and its people.

The member countries of ALBA-TCP express their heartfelt solidarity with President Nicolas Maduro and his people, and state that the affronts against the president invalidate the secretary general to speak on any matter relating to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, while his comments offend all sovereign states.

Mr Almagro took over the agenda of the Venezuelan political opposition and allowed the General Secretariat of the OAS to serve as defense of its more radical and violent sector. Just a few days ago, Mr Almagro participated in an event in the city of Miami where, in the presence of Venezuelan and foreign opponents, a call to invade Venezuela was made, threatening the right to development, peace and the homeland of the Venezuelan people.

The countries of ALBA-TCP express our solidarity with our fellow nation, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, with its president and its people, and reject the media, economic, diplomatic and financial aggression which seeks to overthrow the legitimate government.

The countries of ALBA-TCP recognize the hard work of the Venezuelan government in the promotion and protection of human rights, justice and peace, to contain the plan of international intervention aimed against Venezuela, threatening not only the stability of this fellow country but also of our region.

Finally, the member countries of ALBA-TCP rely on the unwavering will of the Venezuelan people, guided by the thought of Simon Bolivar and his ability to close ranks against this ongoing threat to the democratic stability of the country and the region.

Caracas, May 19, 2016

http://alba-tcp.org/en

Antigua and Barbuda, Bolivia, Cuba, Commonwealth of Dominica, Ecuador, Grenada, Nicaragua, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Venezuela

The Antigua and Barbuda government also distanced itself from the “intemperate language” used in the advertisement, saying that it compromised its foreign policy.

“While my government treasures its friendship and co-operation with the government and people of Venezuela and holds the view that the secretary-general of the Organisation of American States, Luis Almagro (as secretary-general), has been unwise in engaging in public statements about the president and government of Venezuela, we do not subscribe to the equally intemperate language used in the advertisement in the Washington Post,” Sanders said.

“We much regret that our country’s name was included as a participant in the language of the advertisement because we were not consulted on its content or placement, nor did we agree to be a participant to it. This had the effect of compromising our foreign policy, the principles of which we hold dear,” he added.

Sanders said that his government assumed that the inclusion of Antigua and Barbuda’s name as a participant in the advertisement was an error by the authors and emphasised that it was not consulted on the content or placement of the advertisement nor did it agree to it.

“We have also communicated to Secretary-General Almagro our view that the public war of words between him and the head of state of a member country should cease and mechanisms be put in place by both sides for a constructive dialogue that focuses on the assistance the OAS can render to Venezuela in this difficult time,” Sanders concluded.

No response was received to requests for comment from the governments of Dominica, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis or Saint Lucia.

Click here to view the advertisement in question.