Venezuela moves to pull out of U.S.-based OAS amid unrest
CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuela’s government said Wednesday that it will begin withdrawing from the Organization of American States, in reaction to growing international pressure on the socialist-run South American nation.
Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said President Nicolas Maduro will send a letter Thursday to the Washington-based OAS renouncing its membership in the hemispheric body.
The decision had been expected. It came a short while after envoys to the OAS approved a resolution convening a special meeting of regional foreign ministers to discuss Venezuela’s crisis.
Rodriguez said Maduro’s administration has been forced to counter what it sees as an attempt by the OAS and conservative regional governments to topple Maduro.
No country has ever withdrawn from the OAS since itwas created in 1948.
Meanwhile, thousands of protesters marched again in Venezuela’s capital Wednesday, with the rejuvenated anti-government movement showing no sign of letting up on political unrest that has been blamed for 29 deaths in recentweeks.
The demonstrators paraded through downtown Caracas in an attempt to deliver a message to the national ombudsman, whose job is to stand up for citizens’ rights but who the opposition has tagged the “defender of the dictator.”
The march was stopped before reaching his office as security forces unleashed tear gas on protesters on the city’s main highway.
“The repression is very strong,” Luis Florido, an opposition lawmaker, said as he dodged plumes of tear gas.