- Title: Peru calls Venezuela a 'dictatorship' after regional meeting
- Date: 8th August 2017
- Summary: LIMA, PERU (AUGUST 08, 2017) (REUTERS) LATIN AMERICAN GOVERNMENT LEADERS AND OFFICIALS ENTERING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE PERU FOREIGN MINISTER RICARDO LUNA STANDING AT LECTERN WITH OTHER LATIN AMERICAN FOREIGN MINISTERS STANDING AROUND HIM (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PERU FOREIGN MINISTER, RICARDO LUNA, SAYING: "What has happened in Venezuela with the establishment of the Constituent Assembly is a definitive break from what we had before. The redrawing of the democratic institutions has reached its culmination, what we have in Venezuela is a dictatorship." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PRESS SECRETARY FOR PERU FOREIGN MINISTRY, JOSE TORRICO, SAYING: "First, a condemnation of the rupture of democratic order in Venezuela. Second, a decision to not recognise the National Constituent Assembly, nor its actions because of its illegitimate character. Third, to fully support and express solidarity with the elected National Assembly. Four, the legal actions that correspond to the Constitution require the authorisation of the National Assembly, and which only be recognised when the Assembly has approved them. Five, a firm rejection of violence and any other option that requires the use of force. Six, support for and solidarity with the chief prosecutor (Luisa Ortega Diaz) and members of the Venezuelan Public Ministry and a demand for the precautionary measures issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to be applied. Six, a condemnation of the systematic violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms, of violence, of repression and political persecution, the existence of political prisoners and the lack of free elections under independent international observation. Eight, Venezuela does not fulfil the requirements or obligations of the members of the United Nations Human Rights Council." GENERAL VIEW OF NEWS CONFERENCE LATIN AMERICAN FOREIGN MINISTERS AND GOVERNMENT MINISTERS STANDING AT NEWS CONFERENCE MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER LUIS VIDEGARAY WALKING TO LECTERN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEXICAN FOREIGN MINISTER LUIS VIDEGARAY, SAYING: "We express our support and stand in solidarity with the National Assembly, which as been democratically elected." BRAZIL FOREIGN MINISTER ALOYSIO NUNES WALKING TO LECTERN (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) BRAZIL FOREIGN MINISTER ALOYSIO NUNES, SAYING: "In this meeting we decided this after considering that what has happened in Venezuela today is a rupture of democratic order. Given that Mercosur has a solid foundation, a commitment to the Ushuaia (protocol) which respects democratic institutions, we have decided to apply this to Venezuela, the biggest sanction yet under the Ushuaia protocol, the indefinite suspension of rights and participation in decisions." CANADIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER DAVID MORRISON WALKING TO LECTERN (SOUNDBITE) (English) CANADIAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, DAVID MORRISON, SAYING: "We have been very vocal about our opposition to the breakdown of democratic order in Venezuela and we will continue to be so. As the Minister from Peru said, individual countries are free to take individual actions." MEDIA AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHILE FOREIGN MINISTER, HERALDO MUNOZ, SAYING: "Chile does not accept military coups, it does not accept self coups or military insurrections. What we want is the establishment of democratic order through negotiations that are credible, sincere, and with real effect." MINISTERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) PANAMA FOREIGN MINISTER, ISABEL DE SAINT MALO ALVARADO, SAYING: "The message is that we will not abandon the Venezuelan people. We stand in solidarity and will continue to follow the situation so as to take the steps that need to be taken, concerning the humanitarian situation." MINISTERS WALKING OFF STAGE AT END OF NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) CHILE FOREIGN MINISTER, HERALDO MUNOZ, SAYING: "It is a statement, a firm stance but at the same time the position is to find a path to dialogue. We still have time to avoid a worsening of the Venezuelan crisis. And this requires talks, negotiations and this group is ready to do all possible to help."
- Embargoed: 23rd August 2017 00:16
- Keywords: Peruvian meeting on Venezuelan crisis PKK political crisis emergency protest opposition constituent assembly
- Location: LIMA, PERU
- City: LIMA, PERU
- Country: Peru
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016TARQDJ
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Ricardo Luna called the government of Venezuela a "dictatorship" on Tuesday (August 08) after foreign ministers from across the Americas criticised Caracas for a "breakdown of democratic order" in the divided country.
In a joint statement released following a meeting to discuss Venezuela in Lima, diplomats from countries including Canada, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico called Venezuela's new constituent assembly "illegitimate" and said it supported a peaceful and negotiated solution to its political crisis.
One of the first moves of the pro-Maduro constituent assembly has been to fire and order to stand trial chief prosecutor Luisa Ortega Diaz, following her criticism of the Maduro government. Now, the opposition-majority National Assembly fears they will be targeted next by the constituent body. But Foreign Ministers in Lima asserted the sovereignty over the National Assembly in Venezuela and called for talks to resolve a deepening crisis in the South American nation.
Months of protests in Venezuela have left some 120 people dead, amidst public calls for early elections to turn around the economic fortunes of the oil-rich nation suffering from rampant crime and food shortages. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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