Lima Group says won’t recognise new Maduro mandate
LIMA: Foreign ministers from Latin America and Canada said Friday their governments would not recognise Nicolas Maduro as Venezuela’s president when he is sworn in for a second six-year term next week.
The 14-member Lima Group said they would not recognise Maduro’s hardline socialist government after meeting in the Peruvian capital to discuss ways to step up international pressure on the regime, which has presided over the oil-rich country’s economic crisis.
Peru’s Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio said the group had delivered ‘a strong political message’ ahead of Maduro’s second-term inauguration on January 10.
“The main message is undoubtedly the non-recognition of the Venezuelan regime’s new term,” Popolizio told reporters.
The Group, which includes Canada, said Maduro should temporarily transfer power to the National Assembly until free elections can be held.
“Nicolas Maduro is urged not to assume the presidency, to respect the powers of the assembly and to temporarily transfer power until new elections are held,” Popolizio said.
Officials said earlier that US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo would participate in the meeting by video conference – even though Washington is not a member of the 14-nation body.
Pompeo also was to hold bilateral talks with Brazil’s new Foreign Minister Ernesto Araujo on the sidelines of the meeting, also by video-conference, according to an agenda released by Araujo’s office.
The arrival in power of a new far-right government in Brazil under President Jair Bolsonaro is likely to harden regional opposition to Maduro.
Bolsonaro, who has aligned himself with Washington by expressing hostility towards ‘authoritarian regimes,’ said Thursday he was open to discussing his country hosting a US military base ‘in the future.’
Venezuela recently hosted the Russian Air Force, including longrange nuclear bombers, for joint military exercises – a move that stoked regional tensions.
Peru has previously said it would use the meeting to urge members to cut diplomatic ties with Caracas as Maduro prepares to begin a second term after a controversial May election boycotted by the opposition.
The move coincides with a statement from the Venezuela’s opposition-dominated but toothless National Assembly, which said it would not recognise the ‘illegitimate’ Maduro when he takes office.
“We are facing a man who stole an election. We will not have more than a usurper (as president). Neither Venezuelans nor foreigners can recognise Maduro as president,” opposition deputy Delsa Solorzano told AFP.
Maduro was re-elected in May after early elections called by the Constituent Assembly. — AFP