PM extends personal congratulations to Nicolas Maduro

Nicolas Maduro
Nicolas Maduro

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has offered his personal as well as official congratulations to Venezuela’s newly elected President, Nicolas Maduro on his recent victory at the polls, calling it “well deserved”.

“In many respects, this has brought closure to the process of rejuvenating Venezuela and Venezuelans, following the loss of your late revered leader, President Hugo Chavez,” the prime minister wrote in a letter to Maduro.

Calling Chavez a true visionary, the Prime Minister noted that Chavez endorsed Maduro to lead the influential South American nation prior to his untimely death.

Prime Minister Skerrit is known to have enjoyed a close personal relationship with President Chavez.

“The Government and people of the Commonwealth of Dominica stand in solidarity with you and your new administration. We are committed to working in furtherance of the policies and philosophy for Venezuelan and hemispheric development, as enunciated by the late leader and yourself over the years,” Skerrit wrote.

He noted that ALBA and Petro Caribe have withstood “the test of time and have been a marked success in building regional unity and cooperation” and said Dominica will continue to support these initiatives.

“We look forward to working with your new administration in the creation of new efforts at strengthening historic bonds of friendship and cooperation between Venezuela and sister nations in this region,” he said.

The prime minister said he is happy to welcome Maduro into the ‘council of leaders.’ “At the personal level, I am elated to welcome you to the council of leaders of the region. I have worked very closely with you over the past four years and I am fully aware and appreciative of the vast knowledge and skills that you bring to the region at this crucial period in our development,” he wrote.

Maduro won 50.8 percent of votes in the election held last Sunday while his rival Henrique Capriles grabbed 49.0 percent.

The inauguration of President Maduro is scheduled for 19 April.

On Wednesday the US said it has not yet decided whether to recognize Maduro as the elected president of Venezuela.

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17 Comments

  1. Anonymous
    April 19, 2013

    Meanwhile the country is in a state of social unrest with continuous protests against outright neglect of the call for a recount. Hey btw mister prime minister how are your dominican students over there doing? When the opposition will start to get serious and start looking for targets hmm god alone knows. They already beat up some cubans

  2. Swordsman
    April 18, 2013

    The results clearly show the crumbling support that exists in Venezuela for the rubber stamped president who still shadows His late predecessor.Sooner or later Maduro will have to face the harsh reality of his high inflated ridden economy;slash back drastically on the largesse to dependent under developed small island states like Dominica and come up with His own strategically planned agenda to lead his troubled nation or face a tsunami of civil unrest.

  3. Corrupt_Bastards
    April 18, 2013

    US Secretary of State John Kerry has hinted Washington’s refusal to recognize the newly elected Venezuelan government, challenging the recent vote results, demanding a recount and claiming “huge vote irregularities.” :cry: :cry:

  4. Anonymous
    April 18, 2013

    I would think Skerrit would extend congratulations to a country that has helped make him the richest Prime Minister in the region!

    Oh yeah Skerro! You better extend lots of congrats and praises to keep that money flowing!

  5. Jaime/malgraysa
    April 18, 2013

    Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit has offered help Venezuela economically as soon as it’s newly found geo thermal resource is up and running calling it “well deserved” need to give back.

    “In many respects, our offer will bring much assistance to the now fluttering economy. following the loss of your late revered leader, President Hugo Chavez,” the prime minister wrote in a letter to Maduro.

  6. truth offends
    April 18, 2013

    Common Mr. Skerrit! I know your supporters are party blind and they cannot separate truth from error but you don’t have to embarrass them in public like you are doing now.
    How could you say that the result of the just concluded election has brought closure to the process of rejuvenating Venezuela and Venezuelans following the death of their late revered leader. Mr. Skerrit, does a questionable 50+% to 49.07% win as you called it really bring closure to the Venezuelans? Mr. Skerrit, the people of Venezuella are still on the streets protesting and demanding a recount. Who can you fool? Is this what you call closure? Somebody would have to be totally blind, foolish, stupid, ignorant and living on another planet to believe what you just said. If anything, the announced result CLEARLY shows that the people of Venezuella could not wait for the departure of Chavez to vote his party out and that is not an endorsement to the policies and vision of Chavez. I don’t believe Maduro will last a year in office and a revolution in Venezuella will begin just after you call an election in Dominica, and that will bring your downfall.

  7. Anonymous
    April 18, 2013

    speak for your self Mr. skerrit not all Dominicans are in support of our Venezuelan ties

  8. truth offends
    April 18, 2013

    Mr. Skerrit seems to be a very good singer and dancer and he is just singing and dancing early.
    To me, this statement from Roosevelt skerrit shows the heart of a leader who does not care about people, but only in his personal success and political agenda.
    In his statement, not one mention is made of the reported 7 that got killed and the 135 that got hurt. Furthermore, not one thing is said about uniting the people of Venezuela. If he really was concerned about Venezuela and the people, he would have strongly encouraged Mr. Maduro to do a recount of votes to satisfy everybody. As of today, Venezuela is split in two according to the posted results although something is telling me that a true result may very well be a 55% to 45% victory for the opposition.
    When a country is so devided and no one is convinced Maduro really won the election, to have the prime Minister of Dominica officially congratulating Maduro is very scary for Dominica.

  9. Pro
    April 18, 2013

    Skerrit wants us to know that he personally supports these despots and it’s not just a DLP goverment policy.

    The price of gas is sky high, why is the reduction in the price of gas which was promised through Petro Caribe?

    This is a government of building monuments while the people of Dominica suffer.

    I guess all the young people leaving high school and college soon will go and work at the State palace or at the brand new state college, or at the stadium or on the west coast highway.

    Skerrit and his crew are not ignorant of the fact that they are destroying the country.

  10. Morihei Ueshiba
    April 18, 2013

    Long Live America & Britain, where all our people migrate, down with Venezuela & Cuba where few Dominicans live.

    • Jaime/malgraysa
      April 18, 2013

      Backward statement Morihei thought you had 1/4 of a brain to guide you when you post here.
      Did someone said youhave less than 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, 1/32, 1/64,1/128,1/256,1/512,1/1024,1/2048 of a brain? Poor you Morihei it would be almost invisible.A green pea pod would be colossal next to your brain man!
      Do self a favour don’t talk crap like that.

      • Anonymous
        April 18, 2013

        wow thats alot of insulting for a person’s opinion in a free country! Do you belong to the Tea Party by any chance? Do you feel better? I hope not because your diatribe is a reflection of you not the person you just verbally attacked.

  11. Lougaoo Mem
    April 18, 2013

    A true visionary is not one who squanders the resources of his country to promote his ideology. There’s no line in the definitions of the word “VISIONARY” that comes close to who the late leader was.

    Again, Petro Caribe has not lived up to the expectations of the Dominican people. The lies that were told are yet to stand the test of time. So Mr. Skerrit, stop blowing hot air to a people who know quite well that the truth is not your forte.

  12. Doc. Love
    April 18, 2013

    One time Prime Minister of Britain was laid to rest yesterday. I have not yet heard any sympathies being extended to the family of Mrs Thatcher,in fact, my favourite DNO has not yet even extended its sympathies. I recon had Britain given us petrolium products at a great price or a coffee mill or health care for our seniors or lots of money according to a business man and one time Minister of Government, Skerrit would have not only sympathize with the people of Britain and the many Dominicans living in Britain but would have attended the funeral.

    • KUBA
      April 18, 2013

      how do u expect something like that from the pm do u forget that Thacher was a strong enemy and opposition of all what socialism stand for also remember Argentina hates Thacher and Dominica,Argentina,Venezuela u get the idea are the same crabs in the same barrel.

    • Jaime/malgraysa
      April 18, 2013

      He was in diapers was he when thatcher ruled?
      he don’t know nothing bout that. he was not listening to news then.he was in the lupes as akid at that time wearing his teigal pants.

    • Morihei Ueshiba
      April 19, 2013

      @Doc. Love Eugenia stood next to Ronald Reagan making all Dominicans proud, just insulting and downright pitiful where this vielle case boy taking Dominica today. :roll:

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