Peru calls on region to sever ties with Venezuela

Lima, Peru - Peru said on Friday it will urge the so-called ‘Lima Group’ of countries to cut diplomatic ties with Venezuela and issue travel bans against all top officials in President Nicolas Maduro’s government.

The 14-member regional group refuses to recognise Venezuela’s May elections, in which Maduro won a new sixyear term in a vote marred by irregularities.

“The natural consequence is to propose, as one of the actions we take, the severing of diplomatic relations with Venezuela,” said Peruvian Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio.

He said that Peru would introduce a measure to that effect, as well as a travel ban on senior Venezuelan officials, at a December 19 meeting of the group.

The aim, he said, is to pressure the ‘Maduro dictatorship’ as the leftist leader prepares to be sworn in on January 10 for his second term at the head of the crisis-racked country.