- Title: Venezuelan opposition ejected from OAS meeting after "no more dictatorship" cries
- Date: 22nd June 2017
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) OPPOSITION MEMBER, CARLOS VECCHIO, SAYING: "This organisation has not given an answer to the profound crisis that the country is going through. There is a broad majority of countries that recognise the crisis. It is important to find a mechanism for understanding and above all else to reject the undemocratic proposal of the fraudulent constituent assembly which is Maduro is carrying out. It is just another way to deepen the conflict. The majority of countries know this and we have said this to the small countries in the region to reflect (on this) because the consequences could be more difficult and much more serious." MEMBER OF OPPOSITION HOLDING UP POSTER OF YOUTH REPORTEDLY KILLED BY TEAR GAS CANISTER OPPOSITION MEMBERS IN FOYER HOLDING UP VENEZUELAN FLAG FOR MEDIA
- Embargoed: 6th July 2017 01:09
- Keywords: Venezuela opposition no more dictatorship protest Organization of American States
- Location: CANCUN, QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO
- City: CANCUN, QUINTANA ROO, MEXICO
- Country: Mexico
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0046MCYX4Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Members of Venezuela's opposition interrupted an OAS meeting in Cancun on Wednesday (June 21) with chants of "no more dictatorship", after a resolution against the crisis in the OPEC nation failed to get enough votes in the General Assembly.
The United States, Brazil and 10 other members of the 34-nation Organisation of American States (OAS) earlier in the week issued a letter accusing Venezuela of undermining democracy, failing to feed its people and violating rights.
It called for the release of political prisoners, respect for rights, an election timetable, a "humanitarian channel" to ship food and medicine, and the creation of a group or mechanism to help "effective dialogue among Venezuelans."
The opposition in Venezuela and the country's diaspora have accused President Nicolas Maduro of cementing dictatorial rule in the country.
The OAS resolution failed to get up due to opposition from smaller states close to Caracas. Twenty states voted to pass a draft, but 23 votes in favour were needed to approve the statement. Eight countries abstained from voting while five rejected the draft.
Earlier in the week, criticism of her government prompted Venezuela's Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez to call OAS critics "lapdogs of imperialism".
In the final hours of the assembly, some of the meeting's participants remained optimistic they could reach a resolution and that Venezuela could avoid spiraling further into violence. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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