Dominica was among three CARICOM countries that voted against a failed US-backed resolution on Venezuela at this week’s Organization of American States (OAS) general assembly in Mexico.
The resolution included a proposal for a ‘group of friends’ to mediate the political crisis that has engulfed Venezuela.
The resolution also called for President Nicolas Maduro to “reconsider” an assembly to rewrite the Venezuelan constitution.
Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines voted against the resolution while Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Guyana and St Lucia supported it.
Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Haiti, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago abstained.
The resolution failed since it fell three votes short of the 23 needed to be passed.
Allies of Venezuela at the Summit said the resolution was ‘interventionist.’
Despite a call for unity on the Venezuela issue, the vote by CARICOM member states shows how much the matter has divided the regional bloc.
Jamaica’s foreign minister, Kamina Johnson Smith, said CARICOM votes splintered “despite significant efforts to coordinate positions”.
Maduro described the outcome of the failed resolution as a “triumph” for his country.
Meanwhile, on Saturday OAS President Luis Almagro offered to resign if Venezuela holds free elections and enacts reforms to protect democracy.
“I will resign from the Organization of American States the day that free, fair and transparent national elections are held without impediments,” he said in a video message posted on Twitter. “I offer my position in exchange for freedom in Venezuela.”
Among his demands are release of political prisoners and a guarantee of Supreme Court independence. Venezuela’s Supreme Court is packed with judges loyal to the government.
Dominica has been a staunch ally of Venezuela and has sided with the troubled South American country in its row with the OAS.
Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit told media house teleSUR that Almagro should be fired and the OAS has lost its way. He said the OAS should not interfere with Venezuela’s domestic affairs.
This was echoed by Foreign Affairs Minister, Francine Baron, who represented Dominica at the OAS general assembly. In a speech to the assembly, she said that the OAS must be based on a principle of non-interference and respect for the sovereignty of member states.
About 75 people have died in three months of protests in Venezuela.
Demonstrators are calling for general elections to end 18 years of socialist rule in the oil-rich nation which is racked by rising poverty and a deepening economic and political crisis.
Almagro has been very vocal on the Venezuela crisis, branding Maduro a ‘dictator’ for stifling the Venezuelan opposition.
Venezuela has said it is in the process of withdrawing from the OAS, a process that will take two years.
Why can’t the story be clear. This wasn’t done by Dominica, it was done by the government of Dominica. This government just doing what they want
The US keep disappointing so many “blue bloggers”. For ears they have been calling on the US to embark on a dramatic action to punish Dominica for the many far sighted policy decisions the government of PM Skerrit has undertaken these last 13 years. When we went to China, when we deepened our relationships with Cuba and Venezuela. When we went to Lybia under Khadaffi. When the Panama Papers surfaced, they were sure PM Skerrit’s days were done. Then come CBI. They huffed and they puffed. They spoke in diplomatic and undiplomatic language too. Each time beckoning the US to do something to get rid of PM Skerrit. They asked the US to arrest him for “unaccounted wealth” as per UWP’s baseless assumptions. Now they are sure there will be severe repercussions for Dominica on the streets of Miami, DC and New York. In the last 12 or so years, Venezuela has been a good friend of Dominica at a time when the US has literally turned its back on Dominica. “A friend in need is a friend…
A level of misinformation continues to be rampant in Dominica, POPE FRANCIS is on record criticizing the opposition in Venezuela, The VATICAN was called to mediate, and according to FRANCIS, he puts all the blame on the opposition for the present debacle. Why is this not on the DOMINICAN press? I call on DOMINICANS not to get their facts from the TV and hear say,you are being influence daily on what one should believe, some of us are well conditioned . mind control is a better way of putting it. IRAQ had weapons of mass destruction, all the 911 bombers came from SAUDI ARABIA but AFGHANISTAN was invaded,THINK THINK THINk stop being in the DARK. Bob.
Does any one really give a reap what Dominica does ? And when are we going to raise the issue of the many Dominicans who have gone blind after the Venezuelans practice eye surgery? What s loser country that Venezuela. Losers
correction to you sir. the Dominican government represents Dominica. so when a decision is made, it’s essentially Dominica (including you and me) who has made that choice. irrespective of your own personal beliefs or opinions.
Dominica is now on record as being against the interest of the USA in the region.Skerritt , Francine and others in the Labour Party who want to puff out their chest will soon feel the power of the might of the mighty USA.The sad thing is those who will feel it most are the ones who can least afford to pay the price but a message will have to be sent to those who want to pick towards Russia.Mark my words and time will tell
As the saying goes, countries don’t have friends, they have interests. If the Americans wanted to avoid having Caribbean countries align with undemocratic regimes, all they had to do was be the face of foreign aid, rather than leaving it to China, Venezuela, and Cuba. Instead, they can’t even be bothered to field an embassy in most Caribbean countries. If you want to be respected, you have to show respect.
So showing respect is giving handouts? You would think showing respect would be expecting countries to build up their own economies so that they can become trading partners or have some kind of economic interchange that would benefit both countries. So we’re being “respected” by Venezuela when we get couple barrels of oil so that we are obliged to support a corrupt regime in the face of what is arguably the worst humanitarian crisis currently in the west? Never mind the fact that they essentially occupied Bird Island which is our territory by right. Is that what you call respect?
It’s clear that I was referring to embassies, in part because as things are now Dominicans must go all the way to a third country just to pay for the privilege of asking permission to visit the U.S., something very few people on this planet have to do.
Look, I actually agree with you that the best solution is real economic development in Dominica. But in the short to medium term I just don’t see that happening. If you were PM, would you really turn down development aid from China and the like? I’m as free market as it gets and even I can’t say I would do that.
But Jonathan St. Jean, you man you hate Roosevelt Skerrit so much that you can stoop so low? Can you remember in a speech from the UN, a former Dominican PM referred to the US as an “economic terrorist”. Sure you know who that former PM is. But then the people of Dominica keep seeing right through you all’s hypocrisy.
And it’s thinking like this that has America thinking it can invade any country at will for its own economic benefit with little regard for the citizens therein. Let them keep fooling all u still.
I honestly want to see a change of government in DA just to have the sheer pleasure of observing how they would function and what pies are they going to pluck out from the sky!!
Dominica rightly voted in its best interest. That’s what foreign relations is all about. The Government of Venezuela has been a true friend of Dominica since independence. We fully support Dominica’s position on this issue.
If Other countries held referendums to force the US to change their President ‘Trump’ because of his obvious racism, sexism warmongering as well as the US attitudes towards people of color, I’m sure they (US) would back track and say that other countries shouldn’t interfere with their election process and internal affairs.
aslo Venezuela has electrones, its a democratic country, its just a country like Cuba and Libya which supports black countries and doesn’t try to exploit them… this is what’s angering the western countries which are trying to punish Venezuela for dealing fairy with Caribbean nations.
What racism and sexism? People have been regurgitating this nonsense ad nauseum and still no proof. Even if he was what policies has he enacted or actions has he taken that are racist or sexist? What US attitude towards people of color? Some of the poorest “People of color” in the US have it better than the average dominican, hell it’s those same “people of color” and immigrants who send barrels back home. There’s no way you can even attempt to compare the state of affairs of democracy and quality of life in the US to that of Venezuela.
“Poor” people in the US are complaining that they don’t get to have others pay for their health insurance so that they can spend their money on crap while in Venezuela even the more well off middle class people can barely get PARACETAMOL and other basic medicine. How can anyone even attempt to compare these two countries. The lengths some of you will go to justify absolute nonsense is incredible.
Alas…………
so why do you run to the usa on vacation and not Venezuela… idiot
My grandmother may her soul Rest In Peace, use to say they hate the American but love the sweet biscuit ?
People are unbelievable
“fairly”
When friends who have been helpful to us are experiencing difficulties and are down, we do not push them down and further. We support them and stick with them no matter what other people of the world state. This is true friendship and appreciation.
off course Dominica will support maduro in whatever he does. isnt it roosvelt and dominicans that eat up all the people money in yes we care, red clinic , petro carib , and NEP?
You are one ungrateful and non-caring person. It does not matter to you how much Venezuela assisted Dominica.
Know that Venezuela has an opposition who is very involved in this protest. Some of you must think!!!
People must learn to be obedient and subservient. They bring this type of problems on themselves.
Patience! They must leave everything to God. In His time, He will do what He plans, has to do.
All, I will say is, “a friend in need, is a friend in deed, ” regardless to the circumstances. I hope the opposition realizes that all the calypso they are singing about Skeritt must go, is falling on blocked ears. The man is fascinated by the courage of Maduro.
“Dominica has been a staunch ally of Venezuela and has sided with the troubled South American country in its row with the OAS.”
Correction: “The dominican GOVERNMENT has been a staunch ally of the venezuelan GOVERNMENT”. This alliance is between two corrupt regimes supported only by those who are either ignorant or indifferent. The people of Venezuela clearly don’t support Maduro and the people of Dominica too will turn against this corrupt regime when the CBI money dries up and s#$t hits the fan.
Look at it this way. We are all different people, possessing our individual opinions. You see it one way, others see it a different way. You cannot think that you alone are correct. You are only one who speculates. You do not have the future in your hands; not even your life as you should know. You are not God!!!
We doe turn against Skerrit before CBI is after it gone we will turn? The sooner you people realize that the majority of us are pleased with our PM and government, the better it will be for your mental health. Their hard work does not go unnoticed, and no matter how much you downplay it, it will not change the fact that the Skerrit led administration is working. Skerrit Must Go On!
If we wanted Skerrit gone, we would have voted him out! So wait patiently for the next general elections, for us to show you “turn against”!
Don’t worry time will tell. The venezuelan people used to say the same about Chavez when oil prices were high and things was good
Hmm
Was that the master stroke to get people to turn against Skerrit? It might have backfired spectacularly and people will remember who they think killed the CBI? But I can see and appreciate the logic that with the kind of money to do stuff Skerrit would not be dislodged!
Skerrit you will always support Mudaro, what the OAS ambassador its true and this is the same thing you don’t want in Dominica is FREE & FAIR ELECTION. You just as bad as the President of Venezuela you all want to stay in power to do you all . But there must be a day when this two countries will see this FREE & FAIR ELETION come through.
I congratulate my island nation Dominica, on this most historic vote against the planned military intervention of Venezuela, this vote shows a knowledge Internationalism,and GEOPOLITICS, Prime Minister Skerrit, the only one of the current caribbean leaders born in the 70′, is taking a different approach on how the world is seen and understood.The Manley’ Bishop’ Williams and Rosie of yesteryear, would be proud of this vote. The story of GOLIATH comes into play with Dominica playing the role of the dispossessed,you know who your friends are , when your back’ against the wall, the other islands that abstained or voted for, did did not show any fortitude of the tasked at hand, with their heads in the sky hoping and expecting handouts from their master, the USA. Dominica’ destiny presently does not rest with USA’ expectations, sink or float we will be on our own.Honestly, i’m a very proud Dominican today. This is not GRENADA of yesterday, we will not be part of super power politics…
The USA must first clean up their act prior to interfering in the business of another country in this respect. God knows they have much to clean up and are incapable of doing so as the US situation gets worst. Most of their nationals would agree.
Truth, if your statement were true why did most of the U.S. nationals chose to elect Trump? Your reasoning does not make sense.
The OAS resolution included a proposal to mediate the political crisis that has engulfed Venezuela.
The resolution also called for President Nicolas Maduro to “reconsider” an assembly to rewrite the Venezuelan constitution. The resolution failed..Maduro described the outcome of the failed resolution as a “triumph” for his country.
Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, and St Vincent and the Grenadines voted against the resolution while Barbados, Bahamas, Belize, Guyana and St Lucia supported it.Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, Haiti, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago abstained
In this Venezuela matter as in other local, regional and international crises Dominica has tended to side with positions that are not democratic, turn a blind eye to corruption, economic and social disorder..,,.
skerrit is so short sighted… he doesn’t realize when regime change he will be looked as a traitor that stood on the side of tyranny.
Clayton they will have to wait for the next General Election due in 2018, the opposition too busy for power!!!!! Our government did the right thing, we should not allow foreign interventions in our local affairs… Little after all oppositions in the Caribbean will come up with fake news about a ruling party to insight regime change by foreign intervention… I can see our opposition in Dominica piggy banking on the passage of this resolution……
This time, in the encounter of David with Goliath, I am not sure whether David will withstand the repercussions of the counter-punch.
true
So what is your idea? David already withstood Goliath to the point of killing him. Try another comment and make it explicit.