Member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), say they stand with the government of the Venezuela as the country faces a deepening political and economic crisis.
The member countries also rejected a statement by the General Secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, who said that President Nicolás Maduro had betrayed his people.
“The member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – People’s Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), categorically reject the Press Release issued on May 18, 2016, by the General Secretary of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, and the systematic aggressions of whom occupies the General Secretariat of this organization against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, its legitimate Government, and its people,” ALBA said in a release on Friday.
The organization added, “The member countries of ALBA-TCP, express our heartfelt solidarity with President Nicolás Maduro and his people, and declare that the grievances against the Venezuelan leader invalidate the General Secretary to pronounce about any affair related to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, as his commentaries offend every single sovereign State. The member countries of ALBA-TCP manifest our solidarity with the sister Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, with its President and its people, and reject the mediatic, economic, diplomatic and financial aggressions that seek to overthrow its legitimate Government.”
In a blunt message to Maduro, Almagro accused Maduro of betraying the people of Venezuela describing him as a traitor to ethics in politics.
“You betray your people and your supposed ideology with your rambling tirades, you are a traitor to ethics in politics with your lies and you betray the most sacred principle in politics, which is to subject yourself to the scrutiny of your people,” Almagro wrote. “You should return the riches of those who have governed with you to your country, because they belong to the people, you should return justice to your people in all the senses of the word (including finding the true killers of the 43 and not the people you hold prisoner for their ideas, although they may not be yours nor mine). You should return the political prisoners to their families.”
He added, “You should give the National Assembly back its legitimate power, because this comes from the people, you should return to the people the decision about their future. You will never be able to give back the lives of the children who have died in hospitals because they did not have medicine, you will never be able to free your people from so much suffering, so much intimidation, so much misery, so much distress and anxiety. I hope that no one commits the folly of carrying out a coup d’état against you, but also that you yourself do not do so. It is your duty. You have an obligation to public decency to hold the recall referendum in 2016, because when politics are polarized the decision must go back to the people. That is what the Constitution says. To deny the people that vote, to deny them the possibility of deciding, would make you just another petty dictator, like so many this Hemisphere has had. I know that the OAS and my work bothers you because, as the song goes, “entre los Ceibos estorba un Quebracho.” I am sorry to inform you that I neither bow down, nor am I intimidated.”
However, in thier statement, ALBA member countries say they “acknowledge the hard work of the Venezuelan Government in the promotion and protection of human rights, justice and peace, to contain the plan of international intervention intended against Venezuela, threatening not only the stability of this sister nation, but our region’s stability as well.”
The statement added, “Finally, the member countries of ALBA-TCP trust in the unbreakable will of the Venezuelan people, guided by the thinking of Simón Bolívar and his capacity to close lines in the face of this continued threat against the democratic stability of the country and the region.”
Dominica is a member of both ALBA and the OAS.
Below is the full message of the OAS Secretary Genera to the President of Venezuela.
Message from the OAS Secretary General to the President of Venezuela
May 18, 2016
President Nicolás Maduro,
I am not a CIA agent. And your lie, even if it is repeated a thousand times, will never be true. Nevertheless it should be clarified, although this is to deny the absurd. My conscience is clear, President, and my behavior more so. There is no threat that you can make that will even remotely affect either.
I am not a traitor. I am not a traitor to ideas, nor to principles, and this means that I am not a traitor to my people, those who feel themselves represented by the principles of freedom, honesty, decency, public integrity (yes, those who assume power as poor people and leave the same way), democracy and human rights. But you are, President. You betray your people and your supposed ideology with your rambling tirades, you are a traitor to ethics in politics with your lies and you betray the most sacred principle in politics, which is to subject yourself to the scrutiny of your people.
You should return the riches of those who have governed with you to your country, because they belong to the people, you should return justice to your people in all the senses of the word (including finding the true killers of the 43 and not the people you hold prisoner for their ideas, although they may not be yours nor mine). You should return the political prisoners to their families.
You should give the National Assembly back its legitimate power, because this comes from the people, you should return to the people the decision about their future. You will never be able to give back the lives of the children who have died in hospitals because they did not have medicine, you will never be able to free your people from so much suffering, so much intimidation, so much misery, so much distress and anxiety.
I hope that no one commits the folly of carrying out a coup d’état against you, but also that you yourself do not do so. It is your duty. You have an obligation to public decency to hold the recall referendum in 2016, because when politics are polarized the decision must go back to the people. That is what the Constitution says. To deny the people that vote, to deny them the possibility of deciding, would make you just another petty dictator, like so many this Hemisphere has had.
I know that the OAS and my work bothers you because, as the song goes, “entre los Ceibos estorba un Quebracho.” I am sorry to inform you that I neither bow down, nor am I intimidated.
nice. i like that.
What else can Maduro do before the ALBA Countries are shocked and appalled before they pull their support?What Else? It is a contradiction to say You are in solidarity with the Venezuelan People and offer support to Maduro
“ALBA member countries stand in solidarity with Venezuelan gov’t; condem OAS”
I suppose the Dominica Mountain Chicken Carpaud (Crapo) Mentality Sly Eye Indian doctor of nothing: Roosevelt M. Skerrit is among the hand to mouth members of ALBA who has condemned the OAS!
All the member countries standing in solidarity with the Venezuelan government are countries without two legs to stand on. Their lower extremities are all chopped off in the region of their patella, they are all standing on chopped off knee bones, dirt poor, none of them has anything to offer to the poor in Venezuela.
Now; the most stupid comment I read is where some Dominica stupid slave minded idiot said something about United States, and invasion of Venezuela. That person is so dumb they do not understand the economy of Venezuela has collapsed, so blame it on America, invading Venezuela: Could it be that boy Skerrit spreading such rumor through one of his subordinates?
Chavez meant well and was popular. However he could be intolerant at times and did not work hard to enough on diversification of the economy or building a private sector. The Cubans, it must be noted, are busy encouraging the private sector and ownership of small hotels and restaurants by locals. Here in Dominica the reigning king is obstructing enterprise, duping the poor with handouts and eating well among his circle of cronies and sycophants. Maduro should resign and call for a caretaker government of technocrats drawn from both parties to run the country until free and fair elections can be held. Where a people lose hope and trust in any government they have a right to recall that government. We should take heed in Dominica as to where greed and treachery leads any nation – the garbage heap of history.
A government needs to use its resources to empower the people,through education and training,then putting the people to work.One can only accumulate wealth through work,not handouts.I am of the opinion and agree that there are always those who will be in need of assistance, but a government should not and cannot expect to have a foolish system in place like a red clinic and have its citizens lining up at the government headquarters to see the pm for a few dollars.This is bad and no economic policy.It’s a shame and disgrace on all those who seems to know better, to allow an inexperienced young boy,to take leadership of a country and ruin it without stopping him.Shame on these so called educated people!
Wow, Why all that ranting,it only shows an ill informed opinion.
I stand in solidarity with the statement of the OAS secretary general and the people of Venezuela for standing for their Rio.I also condemn the ALBA-TCP countries who stands against the suffering people of Venezuela in favour of mad-u-ro and his blood sucking regime.These ALBA-TCP countries are guilty of helping drain the economy of Venezuela and it’s people of their resources.Their only interest is greed and selfishness,this is why they try their best holding on to power by any illegal means.They criticize the western countries of being capitalist,but they in turn stash away as much resources of the countries they govern illegally in secret accounts all over.So what’s the difference between them and those they criticize?Those western countries that these leftists dictators criticize has better accountability,cause when one is caught in corrupt activities, they are made to pay.But in these ALBA member countries,the justice system is a fraud controlled by these thugs and rogues…
Oh really?2.5 Trillion $$$$ missing from Pentagon in 2011. City Group, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, RBC Capital, UBS Security etc. stole Trillions of Dollars for the FEDs, and caused Millions of Americans to loose their homes, many oh which are homeless. The US Government instead bailed the Banks. NO one was imprisoned.
The US Police killed 1,134 blacks in 2015,
The US Government are responsible for unjust wars in Iraq, Libya, Syria, Afghanistan, and murdered millions. they have organized coupe in Guatemala 1954, Argentina & Honduras 1963, Paraguay 1989, Bolivia 1963, Brazil 1964.
They tried Cuba, North Korea, Syria, The US along with Saudi are undermining Venezuela (Economic War) by manipulating world oil prices. Any country that is not align with US Interest are targeted..and You western SLAVES brey without educating yourself about the EVILS of the West.. The US is partly responsible for the suffering of the Venezuelan people.
You know that there is medication that you can take to help you control your life of lunacy. Once on, you may have several moments of lucidity. Your post must be a joke. I could go through our post and refute every one of them but I don’t think that you would really understand. LOL
Preach bruv. They probably also advised Chavez that the best way to implement his socialist dream was to seize businesses that were producing much needed goods and give them away to his supporters (it’s not his fault that they run them down to nothing). They also advised him that trying to stop capital flight by implementing foreign currency controls was a good idea, who would have thought it would create a black market for foreign currency that would cause a downward spiral that would sink the value of the nation’s currency to being worth less than the paper it’s printed on. Hell I bet they kept him so busy that he didn’t have time to supervise his cronies who squandered away the funds they gained while the US allowed the oil prices to be high. Now that they’ve decided to lower them they’re screwed because there was never any foresight for a situation where oil wouldn’t be bringing in billions of dollars that they could squander away as they see fit.
You seem to have read a lot of things but don’t understand that they don’t line up like dominoes.One thing does not have anything to do with the other.Are you saying that because one guy committed murder of his neighbor then he is guilty of all other murders committed in his community.Certainly not,so because the US did do some terrible things in the past that it’s responsible for failures of all governments.How ridiculous is your argument.Maduro and his failed philosophy is responsible for the demise of the Venezuelan economy.Pure and simple
You are saying this to say ?” It is ok what is going on in Venezuela?” Is this the type of defense You offer for the actions of Maduro? STUPES!
Dante Jones
Why do you distort facts to suit your opinion,regarding foreign currency control.There are many advantages in having a foreign currency control.There are many countries using foreign currency control methods, China does and it is has the second largest economy in the world, Barbados does have such method. You talk about worthless paper money, isn’t the US dollar worthless paper money, of course it is, fiat money, it’s not backed by gold as most of the world major currencies are today.
Venezuela crisis can be described as economic warfare, a complex warfare with lots of unseen forces involve which most of us cannot comprehend of which oil and money is the root cause, bringing back the oligarchy rule as were the old days.
To say quote “those western countries that these leftists dictators criticize has better accountability” is somewhat ludicrous and once again shows how ill informed you are making such statement. Do you really believe that ALBA-TCP countries are responsible and guilty of helping drain the economy of Venezuela, wow, so long for your ignorance.
….just like Skerrit and Nanthan were in solidarity with Gaddafi till the last breath (…sorry, the last dollar)!
DNO seem to have an agenda. why are you filtering peoples honest views?
As I said before most of the handful of u who come on this website to vent understands nothing about regional and or international issues. you read and view from one source and don’t realize what u read and watch are what some people want u to believe – not always the truth
Whats going on in Venezuela and Brazil and Syria and many other places around the world u just don’t understand and never will because u hear one side and u hear that side because u choose to. majority of Dominicans are smarter than that I hope so keep venting about skeritt and lennox while a set of people use fools to destroy themselves
So give us your side of the story smart a…., instead of farting around and not saying anything. You are neither meat nor fish.
and also let me add…was our KKKK invasion legitimate!!!! this is a big WOW to me.
Is the UWP the alternate government in Dominica? Do they have any say in caricom and oecs and, ECCB. These powers of the UWP have to be tested. Most countries named in the panama papers, their govts have been investigating the people involved. The latest is Columbia. In the absence of no investigation by the govt of Dominica and the police, the alternate govt,UWP, must approach caricom, oecs, cdb, oas to investigate the issue. The panama papers must have some financial implication for Dominica and the other caribbean islands in these grouping. They should also be concerned
People have enemies without harming those who hate them. Enemies could also fabricate stories to make the other Party look bad in the eyes of the people, especially by those who want power to rule the country. This is politics.
They also have their supporters. You cannot deny them this privilege. If God were to strike human beings for their sins, some who do not recognize him, reject him, blaspheme him and who do not live godly lives, would there be one person left on earth? All would be in Hell. This is an example that, “All have fallen short of God’s glory” while they speak ill of others.
If I personally observe atrocities committed against others, I will not defend the perpetrator. However, hearsay and opinions are also generated from international media. In all fairness, I will not join you critics to speak against Maduro. Broadminded people would adopt that stance.
Therefore, I say, Maduro is entitled to the support he receives May God help him.
Why do these men have so much control over a country…hmm mm. .everyone has to Stand with the People who are suffering..not the Government who caused this..
O.K. so the government of Dominica stands in support of Maduro. Hip, hip, hip! Hurray! Skerrit is not man enough to stand in front of Dominicans and say We Support Comrade Nicholas Maduro and We Will Do Whatever is necessary to defend the failure of the Chavez and Maduro dictatorship!” Come on Skerrit, Man up, don’t allow a little secretary in the Venezuelan embassy to speak for you, your little piece of deception and coward.
So now that we know where Skerrit’s support is will Linton declare the opposition’s position? I guess it will be with the suffering Venezuelan people.
Skerrit and his government may, for pecuniary reasons, support the desperate despot Maduro, but as a citizen of Dominica, I side with the suffering people of Venezuela.
Give to dem Luis, let skerrit know to, You should return the riches of those who have governed with you to your country, because they belong to the people, you should return justice to your people in all the senses of the word (including finding the true killers of the 43 and not the people you hold prisoner for their ideas, although they may not be yours nor mine). You should return the political prisoners to their families
The statement from ALBA member countries is nothing more than a blind note from a coward. Out of so many member countries not one country signed out on it so we could know it is authentic? What if is the ambassador A that just posted something via DNO. If they are man enough they need to identify themselves and the individual country they represent. Anything short of that is considered as another propaganda from cowards.
What the alba members are saying is maduro has the right to do what he is doing to the people of that country and they have no right to complain just as most of them do in their own country .Using words like the government of venezuela sounds like Maduro is the government a one man show like we have in dominica . There is a paliament which represent the hungary masses who who want the man to get lost .I quess no one can blame alba members for singing for their supper sinse when changes come the kithen will be closed
PM Skerritt,the hungry people of Venezuela do not want your empty rhetoric right now.The hungry people of Venezuela want food.FOOD!!?
So the MOST IMPORTANT THING for these member countries is to express support for the Venezuelan GOVERNMENT? What of the people who have NOTHING to eat? Do they, as the bus driver thinks, that the current economic situation in Venezuela has been caused by IMPERIALISTS and not the silly non-policies of the bus driver? Do they really think so? Really? I am indeed worried because it seems that in this region we are destined for dictatorship
The leaders of this ALBA group has sadly made themselves into the “lowest hanging fruit”
I hope they will be able to handle the inevitable consequences. Granny always said “you can’t imprison the wind”.
HOTEP!!
That letter should be cc; to Skerrit as well.
Dear Mr. Skerrit
I am not a CIA agent. And your lie, even if it is repeated a thousand times, will never be true. Nevertheless it should be clarified, although this is to deny the absurd. My conscience is clear, President, and my behavior more so. There is no threat that you can make that will even remotely affect either.
I am not a traitor. I am not a traitor to ideas, nor to principles, and this means that I am not a traitor to my people, those who feel themselves represented by the principles of freedom, honesty, decency, public integrity (yes, those who assume power as poor people and leave the same way), democracy and human rights. But you are, President. You betray your people and your supposed ideology with your rambling tirades, you are a traitor to ethics in politics with your lies and you betray the most sacred principle in politics, which is to subject yourself to the scrutiny of your people.
Thanks
100% Dominican.
Dominica just needs to pay back all the credit oil which there have received and used over
the years.
But hasnt the supreme leader of this corrupt country Dominica responded yet,Maduro is a coward and his demise is just days away,Skerrit go and take up arms with your boy against his people,
I love this line ” I am not a traitor of ideas or principles and therefore i am not a traitor of thevpeople”. That is powerful!! I am shivering reading this. A man who has no respect for others ideas nor any principles is running Dominica. See who the real traitor is. This letter might as wrll be addressed to Skeritt.
Pathetic. Out of 11 Alba member states 6 are the OECS members, benefitting from Venezuela’s largess. Have they ever done anything for Venezuela except talk? Cuba is a member, the very first one to sign up. Are they going to send their armed forces to help Maduro repel the U.S. army invading Venezuela. And how about their immediate neighbour Columbia? Are they mobilizing their troops also to help Maduro stay in power? I think the answer is an emphatic no!
“Are they going to send their armed forces to help Maduro repel the U.S. army invading Venezuela.”
Stop lying. The U.S. is not invading Venezuela, and you know it. Maduro and his cronies, not external forces, are responsible for the destruction of their country.
Mr. Foerster, that was a rhetorical question. Perhaps I should have ended it with a question mark so as to avoid any possible misinterpretation. Of course I don’t believe for one second that the U.S.A. would invade Venezuela.
Move along now, nothing to see here. That was just ALBA letting off it’s last gurgle before it chokes into obscurity and becomes a sad footnote on failed socialist policies.
lmao ain’t that the truth.
mad times. when reginal alba country governments can be in solidarity with an idiot who is thirsty for power and is clueless of running an accountable government.
must hit the fan
all you playing politics while de people suffering.
chavez blamed every negative in his country on traitors. Whenever his policies failed he blamed it on traitors. Maduro can do no different but blame his weakness on traitors.
If someone accuses me of being aa CIA agent and traitor how am I supposed to respond?
So de man was supposed to just accept de insult and roll over eh?
If all you think a joint statement have all dat power why you all doh use dat same avenue to call for and supply humanitarian assistance to de venezuelan people?
Your statement is just a show of support for 1 man. de leader.
All you would do de very same thing to us!!!!!
I glad to see who you will boldly come out to protect.
Maduro will fall just like chavez!!!
de people will still be there…..de ones that will free demselves whether all you like it or not.
All you not looking for dog and cat to kill to cook lunch for all you families
food ration in an oil rich country is a disgrace!!!
” When you see them passing in their vehicles what do you call them? TRAITORS!!!!” (Dr. Skerrit)…… hmmmmm
Sounds very familiar in our backyards
A swansong and Papa Skerrit caught between the quayside and the ship, like in a nutcracker. Bet he is strategizing what to do and figure when the Alba money runs out before he makes his move.
One thing is for sure, he will follow the money!
hahaha..Yup Like Scrooge Mcduck..
However we must admit that the Venezuela situation is grave and something must be done for the people..If a Politician is willing to drag his people through suffering instead he resigns, many questions would be asked about his motive and character..
No one man should be so politically committed/skewed to the point of staking a claim of veto on people’s sovereignty..