News Americas, New York, NY, 22 August 2024: The Biden administration has expressed disappointment that only two member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), Guyana and Suriname, adopted a joint statement defending democracy in Venezuela. The declaration, issued on August 16 by 22 countries in Santo Domingo, calls for transparency in the results of the July 28 elections in Venezuela and respect for the will of the people.
US Ambassador to Guyana and CARICOM, Nicole Theriot, praised Guyana and Suriname for their support. “We are extremely pleased to have these partners standing with us in the defense of democracy in the region and globally,” she told Demerara News online as she highlighted Guyana’s growing role as a global leader.
Guyana’s Foreign Secretary, Robert Persaud, also emphasized the importance of the statement, urging Caribbean countries to choose the right side of history in supporting democracy. Meanwhile, the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including countries such as Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, congratulated President Nicolás Maduro on his re-election, calling for national reconciliation.
Despite this, the US remains disappointed that most CARICOM states did not endorse the joint statement, reaffirming the importance of democratic principles in the region. The 22 signatory countries also demanded the release of arbitrarily detained individuals, including opposition figures in Venezuela.
The 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 Spain
Republic of Guatemala
Cooperative Republic of Guyana
Italian Republic
Kingdom of Morocco
Kingdom of the Netherlands
Republic of Panama
Republic of Paraguay
Republic of Peru
Portuguese Republic
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