Two-thirds of American countries reaffirm their support for Ukraine at the OAS

Update with statement on Ukraine, refusal to revoke credentials from Venezuela, Blinken announcements, protests by ultra-conservatives /// Lima, 6 October 2022 (AFP) – Two-thirds of the countries of the Americas reaffirmed their support for Ukraine on Thursday Faced with the invasion of Russia, in a statement read during the OAS annual assembly, which takes place in Lima amid protests by ultra-conservative groups, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina are not among the 24 nations that signed the document, released during the plenary session of the 52nd General Assembly of the Organization of American Countries (OAS), the bloc’s top political body. However, the text, sponsored by Guatemala, does not constitute a decision by the OAS, which on Wednesday began its assembly with a video message from Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, asking for the support of the region: “It is essential that we are united in condemning the fraudulent referendums of the Russia as a violation of international law, and we unequivocally reject any attempt to illegally annex Ukrainian territory, “said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “We hope” that those countries will also support a resolution on the issue that is expected at the UN General Assembly “in the coming weeks. On the sidelines of the OAS meeting, Blinken, who participates in the conclave after having visited Colombia and Chile, announced new humanitarian and security aid for Latin America worth more than 240 million dollars. The aid is intended to assist the countries of the region to finance the reception of migrants and refugees, and on top of the millions of dollars already paid from the United States for the reception of Venezuelan refugees in these countries, the State Department specified. – “The OAS is an atheist!” -The OAS assembly, the first in person since 2019, is held under the slogan “Together against inequality and discrimination”, a “progressive program” rejected by activists for religious rights from several Latin American countries “. The OAS is an atheist, he loves you without God and without family! “, Shouted thousands of demonstrators who marched for almost three hours towards the Congress Center in Lima on Thursday, speaking aloud against abortion and” ideology. gender “. Among those who protested in defense of the” soul of America “were citizens of Peru, Mexico, El Salvador, Argentina, Costa Rica and Uruguay. a few years ago against the OAS by the left movements, which accused it of being an instrument of the United States, a country that contributes more than 50% to the annual budget of the bloc.- Venezuela, Nicaragua and Haiti – Venezuela and Nicaragua are not represented at this annual meeting of the OAS, but attract attention in Lima. On the one hand, the OAS refused on Thursday to examine in its Assembly a draft resolution to revoke the credentials of the representative of Venezuela, who since 2019 is delegate of the leader d opposition Juan Guaidó. The initiative, promoted by eleven led countries for Antigua and Barbuda, did not win the support of two thirds of the 34 active members of the OAS who were to be placed on the agenda. Of the 32 countries present, 19 intervened in favor, including Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile and Mexico, as well as Honduras and most of the Caribbean nations. Four voted against (Canada, United States, Guatemala and Paraguay) and nine abstained (Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica and Uruguay). The draft resolution also asked to “consider” that Venezuela “ceased to be a member” of the OAS on April 27, 2019, when the deadline for formalizing the withdrawal notified two years earlier by the government of Nicolás Maduro was respected. the general secretary of the OAS, Luis Almagro, the process of leaving Venezuela did not end due to debts of “a few million dollars”. that he was unaware of Daniel Ortega’s election in November 2021. Five months later, he withdrew his representatives from the OAS and closed the organization’s office in Managua. At the OAS assembly, Canada, Antigua and Barbuda, Chile, Costa Rica and the United States are sponsoring a resolution that seeks to hold the Nicaraguan regime accountable for continuing human rights violations. Washington hopes the OAS will also consider a declaration on human rights in Venezuela, where Maduro, in power since 2013, is not recognized by the regional bloc after being re-elected in 2018. In addition, the Assembly plans to discuss a resolution on the political situation. and security in Haiti, aggravated after the assassination of President Jovenel Moise in July 2021. Lima, Blinken took the opportunity to meet human rights defenders Miriam Cardet and Darcy Borrero Batista, from Cuba; Wendy Flores and Kenya González, from Nicaragua; and Clara Ramirez from Venezuela.et-ad / gm ————————————— ———————-