GOVERNMENT GOES THROUGH WITH THREAT TO LEAVE THE OAS

Venezuela’s government announced Wednesday it will go ahead with its threatened withdrawal from the Organization of American States, the regional body whose leader has been one of the fiercest critics of embattled socialist President Nicolas Maduro.

The move came on the same day as fierce confrontations in the capital between security forces and anti- government protest- ers who staged yet another march amid political unrest that has been blamed for 29 deaths in recent weeks.

Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez called for the OAS withdrawal after a brief but contentious meeting at the group’s Washington headquarters in which its permanent council voted in favour of holding a special session to evaluate Venezuela’s crisis.