CARICOM Heads statement on the latest developments in the situation in Venezuela

The following Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) – Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago; Foreign Ministers of Grenada and Suriname;, meeting by video-conference on 24 January 2019, issued the following statement.

“Heads of Government are following closely the current unsatisfactory situation in Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a neighbouring Caribbean country. They expressed grave concern about the plight of the people of Venezuela and the
increasing volatility of the situation brought about by recent developments which could lead to further violence, confrontation, breakdown of law and order and greater suffering for the people of the country.

Heads of Government reaffirmed their guiding principles of non-interference and non-intervention in the affairs of states, respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and respect for human rights and democracy.

Heads of Government reiterated that the long-standing political crisis, which has been exacerbated by recent events, can only be resolved peacefully through meaningful dialogue and diplomacy. In this regard, Heads of Government offered their good offices to facilitate dialogue among all parties to resolve the deepening crisis.

Reaffirming their commitment to the tenets of Article 2 (4) of the United Nations Charter which calls for Members States to refrain from the threat or the use of force and Article 21 of the Charter of the Organization of American States which refers to territorial inviolability, the Heads of Government emphasized the importance of the Caribbean remaining a Zone of Peace.

Heads of Government called on external forces to refrain from doing anything to destabilize the situation and underscored the need to step back from the brink and called on all actors, internal and external, to avoid actions which would escalate an already explosive situation to the detriment of the people of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and which could have far-reaching negative consequences for the wider region.

Heads of Government agreed that the Chairman of Conference, Dr the Honourable Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis would seek an urgent meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General to request the U.N’s
assistance in resolving the issue.”

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33 Comments

  1. ATKINSON
    January 28, 2019

    What is the former president maduro still doing in venezuela, mister should be busy packing up to leave, Uncle Trump, uncle Pence and Uncle Pompeo, the three “Wise Men” has told him he is no longer president, we have a new man now Juan Guaido the new president of venezuela :mrgreen: probably to only person who still thinks maduro is president is his apprentice the “Evil Dr Supremo” Hey what will happen to hayden pirela sanchez maybe he can join the N.E.P.

  2. January 26, 2019

    The design of the CARICON flag says a lot: bland and inspirational.

  3. January 26, 2019

    “Captain the ship is sinking the oil pressure really low” so guess what all RATS on board ship bailing out. CARICOM heads where were you when the suffering people of Venezuela needed you most to speak out for them. Instead led by the double (Dr) PhD you choose to remain silent; tell the people of the Caribbean where does your interest lie in the people or the leaders; will you continue to be silent while the Dominica PM a member of your exclusive club continue to deprive Dominicans of “free and fair elections” and electoral reform? when the people are ready to get rid of this wanna-be despot keep your distance; and my advise to you is ” speak now or forever hold your peace”

  4. they shall know.
    January 25, 2019

    Is it the heads of government or the tails behind the tails. Headless Caricom leaders which cannot take a decision based on principle. Once again Trump leads the world. Venezuela now has a new interim president period.

  5. PENNY
    January 25, 2019

    Caricom Stood by and watch for so long what was going on in Venezuela and did nothing, Now they coming out and talk nonsense. . One day you people will have to answer to a higher power. I hope you guys realize that life on earth is not forever. Continue to watch wickedness go on and then come out like Hypocrites and Pretend like you guys care. One day these people will be freed.

    • Shaka Zulu
      January 27, 2019

      Caricom takeing the same stand like Russia, its an internal affair. What do se stand for when we tell leaders to abuse thier people, screw thier country up and its ok as long as we getting a lil money. Then wehn population had enough talk about dialogue. There comes a point when you can only take so much. Tbe life we have is already short. We struggling while leaders living like kings and queens. Find out why louise XVI got his head cut off in the french revolution.

  6. Neverson St jean
    January 25, 2019

    Miss Charles must be turning in her grave. Caricom, OECS , all useless these days

    • Joseph John
      January 25, 2019

      CARICOM started during the E O Leblanc administration. Patrick John was the first head of state to attend its meeting after Independence.

  7. Man bites dogs
    January 25, 2019

    @ JAH…You have got more of a chance to end your life in an American Jail house than Mr Skerrit has you and your criminals nasty evil lots longing to see something bad happens to Mr Skerrit, do not hold your breath, Because bad luck will catch you idiots first :twisted:

  8. Jonathan Y St Jean
    January 25, 2019

    “Heads of government offered their good offices”. My foot. These guys sat there for years and pimped the Venezuelan resources which weren’t going to the Venezuelan people and now they talk about caring about the hungry and fleeing people of Venezuela. This foolish talk of sovereignty and rule of law when they sat by and thwarted the earlier attempts of the US to intervene on behalf of suffering people, some of whom were fleeing by the millions. Why would people flee by the millions from an oil-rich country? Shame on these Caricom leaders who didn’t send a peace mission to Venezuela to try and bring the two sides to talk through a peaceful resolution. Which powerful country in the world cares about their stupid empty pronouncements of the bygone days of nonalignment. These guys have demonstrated by their inaction what they are prepared to do to their own people. Shame on these Caribbean leaders for not caring about Venezuelan people but only caring about Venezuelan resources.

    • January 26, 2019

      US intervention? You are seriously stuck in the past Jonathan. Have you looked at countries where the US has intervened? Just take a look at Lybia, Iraq, and Afganistan just a few few of US interventionist experiments. Unfortunately all these countries have decended into chaos after US intervention. People like you are still believing that US intervention is the answer to domestic problems that exist in other countries, this is just idiotic

  9. iprotest
    January 25, 2019

    CARICOM biting it tongue to say nothing in support of the Venezuelan citizens.
    Imagine that the secretary general of That body is from Dominica.
    Roosevelt Skerrit never fulfilled his promise of sending agricultural produce for the Venezuelan people……. I looking to see when he will finally purchase the 2 boats that he promised the citizens of Dominica.
    CARICOM can’t even say anything about our voters right… . should I think that CARICOM love Maduro more than the
    citizens of Dominica?
    De people of Venezuela should be our concern not another disgraceful leader!!!!

  10. Remember Venezuela
    January 25, 2019

    The same symptoms that caused the downfall or Venezuela are the very same symptoms CARICOM and Dominicans have been ignoring in Dominica. I will bet my last cent on the same thing will happen to Dominica if Skerrit remains in office for another 2 years let alone five. We better save Dominica now because I can see great danger ahead for us my people. Some will ignore my warning and say I am a UWP but that’s not true because I am a labourite that voted and campaigned for my party in 2014. Folks I see great danger ahead for Dominica so I had to jump ship in an effort to save my country.

  11. Pipo
    January 25, 2019

    So CARICOM not united on this then. It says CARICOM heads but foreign ministers of Grenada and Suriname are not heads of their governments. Also, Haiti and Guyana and Bahamas not included but they are members of CARICOM too. The message is very diplomatic but it is obvious that there we have CARICOM members that have a different view. They must not treat us like idiots, we can read between the lines and there is no common front on this important issue from CARICOM. Why don’t they say so.

  12. original
    January 25, 2019

    Where is the respect to rule of law? This hypocrisy of our governments reflects on who they are. The actions of the Venezuelan government should be condemned period since the people are what democracy should be protecting and not the corrupt individuals who form the government but then again bored of a feather flock together

  13. bim
    January 25, 2019

    It does not matter what heads of government think or say, uncle trump do not recognize maduro and believe you me, he will get rid of maduro, is caricom going to challenge the mighty trump, i doubt.

  14. My bad
    January 25, 2019

    I see Dominica as part of the statement issued. But I call on Skerrit to take his concern a step further and go to the UN to offer his statement and stand in solidarity with his brother Maduro. After all, after Maria Skerrit ran to the UN to cry for help and Venezuela followed him right there to tell the world that they had forgiven Skerrit of US $100 million dollars. We know Skerrit has issued statements in support of Maduro locally, where he can’t be heard but I need to see him take it to big stage in New York City and let the world know that it is the US that caused that as he has so often indicated here. So Skerrit STOP hiding behind CARICOM Heads and show yourself on the big stage.

  15. Midnight Hour
    January 25, 2019

    CARICOM Heads FAILED Venezuela just as they FAULED Dominica. They knew Vezuela was going to fall apart but instead of supporting the people they sided with Maduro and see it now. Is that not what they doing to Dominica that is no doubt going to be the next Venezuela? They supporting Skerrit in all his nonsense and soon and very soon they will see Dominica in crisis

  16. Anonymous
    January 25, 2019

    All this says is that Caricom is sitting on the fence but not entirely. Guyana is not included in the statement and they have most to lose as their neighbour Venezuela makes claims on their territory. Who of the Caricom will come to the aid of Guyana when the smelly stuff hits the fan? Now they just sitting there waiting to see how the wind blows to take advantage when it blows their way.

  17. Sense out of nonsense
    January 25, 2019

    “Heads of Government reiterated that the long-standing political crisis, which has been exacerbated by recent events,”

    Are you kidding me. This goes to show that these “heads of caricom” (most of them benefitting from PetroCaribe) have no idea what they’re talking about.

    The recent events are a RESULT of the long-standing political crisis. People are fed up of living under authoritarian rule and dieing of starvation, lack of medicine etc. People are tired of having to flee their own country just to survive.

    This “peaceful dialogue” crap does not work with a corrupt regime like Maduro’s. The venezuelan people have no say especially when their own legitimate national assembly has been invalidated by the corrupt regime.

    But the latin american countries already support Guaido and literally nobody is paying attention to Caricom since they know that half of us have been compromised with oil money. Venezeula will be free!

  18. AA
    January 25, 2019

    Do you All really think that Skerrit can do without putting in his 5 cents. Just wait and see. He going to talk soon.

  19. JAH KAL
    January 25, 2019

    Skerrit skerrit thats all for now. I want the international world to get involve to expose countries like dominica for the world to know whom u are a fing looser. U must go and get ready for the orange jump suit.

  20. Bee
    January 24, 2019

    “Heads of Government reaffirmed their guiding principles of non-interference and non-intervention in the affairs of states, respect for sovereignty, adherence to the rule of law, and respect for human rights and democracy.” Now if this isn’t contradiction I don’t know what is. It would appear that right now in Venezuela the government has no respect for Human Rights nor democracy as dissenting voices are quickly being silenced. One just need to look at the news to see the number of people who are killed because they wrongly thought they were in a democracy and chose to demonstrate against the government. But Caricom tell us that they will not interfere or intervene because Venezuela is a sovereign state and the will adhere to the rule of law…. what BS!

    But then again, we cannot expect our governments to intervene for fear that someone else return the favor and stick their nose into their thieving fraudulent habits.

  21. Shaka Zulu
    January 24, 2019

    This statement is so comical. Heads of government this and heads of government that. This sounds like a bunch of empty heads that have no teeth in thier mouth. Sounds like a bunch of scared nincompoops that have thier tails in thier butts. Sometimes the use of peaceful dialogue does not work when men like Madjro and Skerit running a country. Some of us have been here for years predicting this would happen. There is one way to solve the problem. Maduro should show real leadership and quit or taste the fate like all idiot tyrants. Some people should never be in power and our PM is one of those people. Stop blaming outside forces. Why did you guys not tell Russia dont dly nuclear bombers in our region. When men put themselves above thier people this is the misery we feel. Heads of gov we have been there before with the same player that xost the life of Maurice Bishop. Heads of government need to learn to lead right. Heads of gov need to improve Caribbean people life.

    • Ras
      January 25, 2019

      I guess you think that Trump’s irresponsible reaction and his official’s arrogant “order “ that all OAS member states MUST support the opposition during the crisis, is more acceptable to you than the measured and pragmatic CARICOM response!

      • Shaka Zulu
        January 25, 2019

        Ras trump is an idiot, maduro is an idiot, Skerrit is and idiot and Putin is another idiot. During the 70s a bunch of carribbean islands and latin America were going through leadership and ideology struggles. These were magnified by the same powers Russia and the US fighting for world order and dominance under there ideology. Today we see a return to the cold war by men who have psychological issues and place themselves as supreme beings. Inequality has grown like back then and the distance btw rich and poor widening. What is happening now is no different from back then with the US and Cuba. Silently Russia will exploit every weak western nation that antagonise the US to advance thier global economic and strategic grab. Tbe latin American and Caribbean leaders have failed to bring prosperity to thier people because of thier selfish lust for power and wealth. They will make seals with the devil if they have to. History repeats itself at the suffering of the people.

      • Shaka Zulu
        January 25, 2019

        Furthermore what CARICOM needs to do is make the meaningful changes that allows us to maximize our human and natural resources together so that we dont have to repeat the same cycle every 40 years. Change the political structure. Put term limits on politicians, fix our justice systems so politicians dont abuse and influence. Make elections free and fair. If you are sooo loved by your people who come to see you every Wednesday why are you soo afraid to ensure elections are fair? Why all those shenanigans. We need to be self sufficient; tbat means less dependent on World bank and IMF which is runned by those same wealthy imperialist. We stand for anything nust for a dollar. What does it earn a country to gain stadium, modified airport, gifts etc and loose its soul, its dignity and sell its national pride? When men put themselves above the office they hold the world suffers. The pendulum is swinging toward global war. Life will be lost before man swing back to senses

  22. %
    January 24, 2019

    A rather empty statement by the failed boys club CARICOM!!!! Unfortunately for Caricom, something similar is picking up momentum in Dominica. A lazy incompetent leader has impoverished the country, destroyed all state institutions, has been elected into office by unfair election, and the people have reached the point where they believe that election rigging must stop.
    This is something to watch,even more closely than Venezuela… Opposition members are harrassed innocent unarmed protesters are teargassed,while hundreds of poor and indigent people are flocking to the PM for basic needs.Caricom needs to put pressure to bear on Skerrit to give Dominicans Electoral Reform,in order to avoid the country from going down the same path as Venezuela.
    Skerrit Must Go
    Skerrit Must Go
    LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now

    • Expat
      January 25, 2019

      Which people have reached the point where they believe election rigging must stop? It is just you and a handful of others. May I remind you that a democracy is the will of the majority not the minority?

      • %
        January 25, 2019

        Brainless Expat UWP got 42% of the votes in 2014..,The unfair election saved DLP. Not this time!?!
        I just can’t understand why Skerrit sycophants are d
        so steeped in ignorance.
        In any election in Dominiica, 17500votes can only be considered a handful by a fool.
        Skerrit Must Go
        Skerrit Must Go
        Lazy Skerrit Must Go Now

    • ???????????????
      January 25, 2019

      Stuck record % can you not say something positive? That is all you know? Election will be here soon if the Lord wills it and we will know who will go, who will stay etc. % you cannot be speaking for the majority but yourself. The election will come soon!

    • ????????????
      January 25, 2019

      % Which people have reached the point where they believe election rigging must stop? It is just you and a handful of others. May I remind you that a democracy is the will of the majority not the minority? Yes % and handful of others. The election will soon be here and I already know what yourself and the handfull will say…. Your comment that is all you know – hitting on the PM. Show some respect for the leader of the country. High time you should.

      • Anonymous
        January 28, 2019

        That is fine conundrum as long as an election is not rigged.

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