New initiative to end political violence in Venezuela

CARICOM delegation with the Uruguay’s Foreign Minister, Rodolfo Nin Novoa

Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders have joined their counterparts from Mexico and Uruguay in formalising a plan to address the complex situation that relates to Venezuela, through an initiative called the Montevideo Mechanism.

A statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister in Trinidad and Tobago, noted that the initiative is a response to a call by the United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, to find a pathway to a peaceful resolution through dialogue and from a position of respect for International Law and Human Rights.

“The historical stance of the countries that have agreed to this approach, is and will always be, to advance diplomacy over other alternatives, as it is the only way to achieve sustainable, legitimate and effective peace and stability. This initiative is offered to all Venezuelan actors as a peaceful and democratic alternative,” the statement said.

St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Dr. Timothy Harris is leading a CARICOM delegation to the meeting in Uruguay. The delegation includes the Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley, her Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Dr. Keith Rowley, the Belize Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington and the CARICOM Secretary General Irwin LaRocque.

CARICOM leaders have called for a non-interventionist policy regarding Venezuela where Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó, backed by the United States and several other western countries, has declared himself the interim leader of the South American country.

But Russia, China and Cuba are among countries that are supporting President Nicolas Maduro, who was sworn into office last month for a second consecutive term as head of state.

The governments of Mexico and Uruguay have called for the conference with representatives from the main countries and international organisations that hold a neutral position towards Venezuela.

According to the statement, the Montevideo Mechanism, “evidence of an active, proactive and conciliatory diplomacy to bring the disputing parties closer together,  avoid conflict and violence, is guided by the principles of non-Intervention, legal equality of the States, peaceful solution of the controversies, respect for human rights and self-determination.”

The statement said that based on the experience of the signatory countries a four-phased process is being proposed.

These include creating conditions for direct contacts among the actors involved, in an environment of security, strategic presentation of the results of the previous phase to the counterparts, seeking to find common ground and areas of opportunity to allow the relaxation of positions and identify potential agreements and the construction and subscription of agreements based on the results of the negotiation phase, with the characteristics and timeframe, previously agreed upon.

The fourth phase, described as the “Implementation Phase,” will allow for the materialisation of the commitments assumed in the previous phase, with the international accompaniment.

“The subscribers of this statement agree that the complexity of the circumstances should not be a reason to dismiss the diplomatic channels for dispute settlement, and reiterate its decision to help restore the tranquillity to the Venezuelan people, through dialogue and peace, reducing tensions between political forces and to avoid the threat or use of force.

“Likewise, the governments reiterate their concern about the serious humanitarian situation and respectfully exhort all parties to guarantee the validity of the human rights and the freedoms established in the UN Charter, subscribed to by Venezuela,” the statement said.

It said that the Montevideo Mechanism “is a proposal to guarantee a peaceful and democratic solution that prevents an escalation of violence.

“In the event that the parties decide to communicate, Mrs. Rebeca Grynspan, former Vice-President of Costa Rica and current Ibero-American Secretary General, Mr. Enrique Iglesias, Mr. Bernardo Sepúlveda, ex Foreign Ministers of Uruguay and Mexico, and a High Ranking Representative of CARICOM ( to be named), all personalities of recognised international experience and moral quality, have been selected to advance this Mechanism.”

The CARICOM delegation is scheduled to have a meeting with the European Union delegation Contact Group on Thursday, the statement added.

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13 Comments

  1. Joseph John
    February 7, 2019

    DNO…When I become the lone opposition member of the house in 2020, can I declare myself President of CARICOM , if I can get USA and friends to support me? Or can I declare myself President of Dominica , Suspend the DLP administration and take over as head of country and head of government… no PM no Cabinet. And I can rule by mob type decree.
    Can the Queen of England declare herself Queen of the USA. Would that be legal or constitutional.
    I have a better idea, I shall declare myself President of the World Bank.
    This business of political declaration is very interesting. It could easily solve the problem in Syria. All ISIS leader has to do is declare himself President of Syria.
    If D Day was successful could I have declared myself P M of Dominica ?
    Will “DECLARATION PROCESS” replace democratic elections ?
    All you need is a mob in the streets. WOW1

  2. Sense out of nonsense
    February 7, 2019

    OK great now they can make themselves useful and convince MADuro to at least let humanitarian aid enter the country. Some of these leaders are probably already compromised by the Petro dollar which is why they prefer to engage in diversionary tactics like this than supporting real CHANGE.

    Also it’s funny how these countries never stood up when people have been suffering all this time but now that there is serious possibility of change they band together to try to stonewall the work being done.

    Caricom has very little to worry about from the fallout of the Venezuelan situation, aside from Trinidad they barely get any refugees. Brasil, Columbia and Chile on the other hand are being overun by Venezuelans. Those countries back Guaido and the move for change. Little caricome carigo is a nothing burger compared to these countries especially in a situation that involves another latin american country.

  3. Pepz
    February 7, 2019

    Maduro must go. Jail him

  4. Ras
    February 7, 2019

    I am waiting to see whether this reasoned and mature initiative will be mentioned in the international media. Thus far the coverage by the manor eww networks has been very one-sided.

  5. LaPlaine Observer
    February 7, 2019

    It is evident that oppressive dictatorship is only temporal. When the people’s struggle for a better standard of living becomes nationally infectious, they will eventually rise up in protest and demand change.

  6. jamie
    February 7, 2019

    Where is SKERRIT,MADURO’S NO.1 SUPPORTER?

    • %
      February 7, 2019

      Among people with brains, Skerrit is out of his depths .
      He is not a bright boy ..Only in Dominica he runs his mouth, to unsuspecting supporters he has impoverished.
      Skerrit Must Go
      Skerrit Must Go
      LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

  7. Karl Orndem
    February 7, 2019

    awesome. As a region we need to support each other. not takes sides with outside influences for their own benefit. We depend too much on foreign aid which allows the foreigners to have a strangle hold on us. In addition, many of us are like little house negros. when the big bad usa takls we say yes massa and trod along. Them days there gone. We need to start getting serious as ethnic people who control this region of the caribbean.

  8. viewsexpressed
    February 7, 2019

    I am glad that I am not seeing Skerrit and Tramp in this picture. Two failed politicians, one a clown the other extremely immature. Allow these decent, open-minded head of States pursue this journey of faith hope and decency. Those who blindly received endless cash etc from Venezuela, they have no place in this diplomatic journey. If you are unable to take care of your own dirty, corrupt backyard how on earth can you assist your neighbour with your political garbage.? This is so worrying the state that Venezuela and our Domininca is in now. Like Venezuela have had decent Presidents with a notable trusted government, but today we see Venezuela deteriorated and as the saying goes, “Show us your company, we will tell you who you are..” we see now in Domininca, Africa and most South American countries. Bobol, corruption, thievery, poverty and poor governance is the behaviour of the day, by these failed leaders. They pretend to love their people, eg Dominica, take good care of themselves.

  9. viewsexpressed
    February 7, 2019

    I am hoping that our so called Failed Skerrit would not, absolutely Not be invited to this group of intellectuals who are able to see beyond the bigger picture of this on going of states abuse of its resources and why and how did Venezuela got to this stage. Venezuela attempted to play this Big Daddy role in wanting to show the world that is on the worlds stage to that of the USA, Europe, Australia etc but forgot that these extremely developed countries are decent, respect states resources and there is no thievery, or else it is prison time, guess at Stockfarm for you know who. With all this cash coming to Domininca from Venezuela, can someone please tell us where did all this money and investment went to. What do we have to show for it. Rather than building up Dominica’s agricultural resources this PM Clown hugged and talk nonsense of this “Comrade” man to show off to all of us. Well, today, look at Venezuela and look at Dominica. These are comrades in crime and Bobol. Big Time…

  10. viewsexpressed
    February 7, 2019

    Chavez and Madura has destroyed the true nature of what we knew of Venezuela before these two political clowns came into office and reduce Venezuela to this Daddy and Grandad know it all and fleeced the resources of Venezuela`s by adopting many failed nations alike Dominica under its failed, immature, incompetent Skerrit, running to thru Venezuela shouting my Brother, Comrade what’s up” attitude which has nothing to do with securing states resources but we saw Venezuela became this melting pot of financial reserves that Chavez etc thought tat he can made friends and feel good as this world power. Chavez was a show man and Maduro lacks the knowledge and know it all of political science just his failed courage in Dominica who has reaped and abuse Dominica’s resources appears also even money wa flushed upon Domininca, today Skerrit and his corrupt Labour regime is unable to tell us and account for all these so called “Investment money”. All we see was a childish man hugging his…

  11. Shaka Zulu
    February 6, 2019

    DNO what really is this saying? Can someone please explain what tbe plan is? Ok i will suggest a peaxefull and democratic solution.
    Maduro could just agree to general elections within 60 days, release political prisoners, allow the opposition to run and let the people decide. Maduro himself can still run an if the people lime hime they will vote him. Thats peaceful and democracy. I say let all who want run for election run without millitary influence and violence. Let elections run free and fear. Unless these folks above asking these things there will be no peace. The bottom line is maduro knows he would loose the election if it was truly Democratic so he will spill blood to hang on to power. All this high level talks is a waste of four king time. Our leaders have some serious issues!!!!

    • Sense out of nonsense
      February 7, 2019

      In order for Venezuela to have free and fair elections they have to get rid of the current electoral council. The head of the commision is a die hard chavista. The last election they claim that they had over 300 international observers. All those observers were hand picked by the corrupt CNE (electoral council)

      I saw a video from one of those supposed observers and this guy was talking like as if he himself was a chavista so that alone tells you what the criteria for selecting these observers were.

      They also have to get rid of the current voting aparatus. It’s an electronic vote counting system that only gives a physical “receipt” on every vote. The receipts are never counted the system supposedly counts the votes automatically. But in 2017 the company who designed the system said that they detected fraud on the order of millions of votes for the election of the “constituent assembly”.

      So that system has been compromised and also needs to go.

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