CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) foreign ministers on Saturday met with Venezuela’s Opposition Leader Juan Guaidó, who has declared himself the interim president of the South American country.
The meeting took place in Barbados and while Guaidó was not physically present, he joined the deliberations by video conferencing. Two members of his delegation, were however present for the talks that were also attended by Canadian High Commissioner to Barbados, Marie Legault, who has a long career in international diplomacy.
She is reported to have attended the talks as a member of the Lima Group that has opposed President Nicolas Maduro’s second term as president and voted on a resolution at the Organisation of American States (OAS) to that effect in January.
At least four Caribbean countries, St Lucia, Bahamas, Jamaica and Haiti sided with the Lima Group and last Friday met with United States President Donald Trump to further discuss the Venezuelan situation.
Jamaica’s Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Kamina Johnson Smith, her Trinidad and Tobago counterpart, Dennis Moses, as well as the CARICOM Secretary General Irwin LaRocque, and the St. Kitts-Nevis Foreign Affairs Minister Mark Brantley attended the Bridgetown talks.
St. Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister Dr Timothy Harris is the current chairman of the 15-member regional grouping.
CARICOM leaders at their inter-sessional summit in St Kitts-Nevis last month had reiterated their position of non-interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela and said they were prepared to mediate in the process to bring about a peaceful resolution to the crisis.
In a message posted on his Twitter page Guaidó, who has the backing of the United States, Canada and several other western countries in his bid to unseat President Nicolas Maduro, said the talks were mainly an opportunity for him “to express his views on the situation in Venezuela and to discuss the way forward”.
He also reiterated the “very strong relationship” between Caracas and the 15-member CARICOM grouping.
Informed sources told the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) that a similar meeting is being planned with Maduro and his delegation and that the talks could take place as early as this week. No venue has yet been given for that round of discussions.
The sources said that CARICOM will issue a statement regarding the deliberations held with Guaidó on Saturday.
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What an embarrassment they are to this region. All of them on their return to they respective islands should be immediately fire for taking part in this illegal meeting with this traitor Juan Guaido.
I hope wunna realizing that the only Caribbean country who really pushing this CSME bs is the Barbados PM. See who met with Trump, and who were not even invited? See who decided to side with him although it was being said that the Caribbean would remain neutral? Our PM wants to be seen as the leader of Caricom but she’s wasting time. All she’s doing is opening up our borders to people who cares nothing about her, her ideals or Bajans.
Mendicant Prime Ministers, i however do not support Venezuela current President
Will this be the end of “PETROCARIBE”.
Why should those talks be held with an OPPOSITION LEADER in BARBADOS at that…why not in JAMAICA or St.KITTS?
Well said PAUL SMITH…I have been saying that since FREUNDEL STUART was Prime Minister.
I said it back then AND I WILL SAY IT AGAIN….Barbados should do like the other Countries…say YEA at CSME discussions but DO NOTHING or SAY ANYTHING when you get back home.
We have found ourselves in a ticklish situation where Venezuela is concerned the USA is very aware of what is going on throughout this region, they know that a certain person said the president is not welcomed here or in the region. Maduro has the people in Venezuela literally eating out of garbage trucks taking medications that were manufactured for dogs and yet we have those who believe that he should remain in power. This lukewarm stance that is being held by the Government will have some sort of effect Maduro will go eventually and then we will see the outcome of this situation. As for open borders, it is a ploy used by the globalist and it always destroys a country over time the evidence is clear in Europe especially in places like Sweden which is a prime example.
I had submitted a piece on this open market thing and movement of free ppl, last week and the BARBADOS TODAY WONT LET IT GO THROUGH, over the years BARBADOS was always the one to be ringing the CSME BELL, now you see what is happening, the USA help taslks with a few of the CSME GROUP, MIA MOTTELY WHO IS PUSHING FOR CSME AND SIGNING LEFT RIGHT AND CENTER WILL FURTHER PUT HER BAJAN MAN AT RISK AND ALSO LOOSING CULTURE ASPECT, since there are so many different ppl now living in babados specially guyanese, (just saying,), MIA MOTTLEY now you see where OWEN, STUART was going wrong, DAVID WAS NOT REALLY FOR IT, SO HE PUT OUT THE GUYANESE, MIA do not expose your banjan man and woman anymore, only open your shores to goods, and skilled labour as far as technology is concern, nurses doctors, no more, not even lawyers, now you know this CARICOM, CSME IS A JOKE, and i would say this again, CARIBBEAN PPL DONT LIKE BAJANS,, even tho bajans dont like them selves,
The late Errol Barrow correctly said we should not be a satellite of any nation. So I agree with Caricom’s position, this matter should be resolved under international law which all nations agreed to arbitrate these types of matters.
On the other hand, the bible said “the borrower is a slave to the lender”. Are the screws being tighten against Bim? Will our leaders now walk back our (correct and just)moral position?
I have done my own research (always fact check lying main stream media) and the people of Venezula are certainly living through tough times, but if people take the time to check it is primarily as a result of the UK holding unto to billions of Venezuelan gold; the sanctions brutally imposed by the US, since the days of Chavez, which is tantamount to theft of theft of billion of dollars in cash which they owe for Venezuelan oil.
If I was a Venezuelan I would be thinking, you owe me billions, and you want to give me millions in humanitarian aid hmmmm!
it has been alleged that the US is telling business and bankers all over the world that they will face strong retribution if they do business with Venezuela, so her net effect is the people will starve and the government will look like evil monsters.
Are you aware that although Venezuela purchased medical supplies the US refuse to allow the payment to go through? I am so glad that the US cares!!
The US has a long history of helping nations into worst positions, asks the people of Haiti, Colombia, Nicaragua, Iraq, Lybia, Eqypt, Africa and the list is too long to mention.
Don’t get me wrong I like the US it has lots to offer. However, when they are wrong they are wrong!!!
It is clear: Every man breking fa heself. What a thing!!. Apart from Mia.
It really amazes me the ignorance and biased of some journalism. You keep referring to interim President Juan Guaidó as “self proclaimed” when it was his duty as the President of the National Assembly to take the presidency when there is no legitimate president. It is there in our constitution for whoever wants to accurately and responsible inform. Interim President Juan Guaidó ASSUMED the executive responsibilities and competencies and SWORE before the Constitution and the People, and the People ACCLAIMED HIM. This gives him an enormous LEGITIMACY OF FACTUAL ORIGIN which does fill what is demanded by law. There is a great difference.
Calling for dialogues with the four stages: Dialogue, negotiations, commitments and implementation phases as CARICOM wants will only prolongue the suffering of millions of Venezuela and is a mechanism that has already been tried many times, with international observers and failed. Again, I suggest that you research the results of previous dialogues that only results were opposition leaders jailed, exiled or dead. It seems to me that is CARICOM aim with this mechanism t is to give Maduro the support and at the same time pretend to be “neutral”. Any country that calls for neutrality and dialogue in a situation such as Venezuela’s, not only does not want a solution, but supports the permanence of this narco regime with impunity. There can’t be no neutrality or “middle lane” between crime and freedom.
@PAUL SMITH: I hope wunna realizing that the only Caribbean country who really pushing this CSME bs is the Barbados PM. See who met with Trump, and who were not even invited? See who decided to side with him although it was being said that the Caribbean would remain neutral? Our PM wants to be seen as the leader of Caricom but she’s wasting time. All she’s doing is opening up our borders to people who cares nothing about her, her ideals or Bajans.
@Tennyson Drakes: It is clear: Every man breking fa heself. What a thing!!. Apart from Mia.
MAM is all about establishing a legacy for herself. She knows she won’t have a positive one locally, so she’s trying to secure one through her tearing down our border defenses.
It simply will not work if we all rise up against her. If we sit still and just talk, we will be doing exactly what the BLP is doing. Just talking.
MIA MOTTLEY, again you see what happen, only a selected few were chosen to hold talks with TRUMP, MIA THE CARIBBEAN PPL DONT LIKE BARBADOS, EVERY BODY KNOW THAT, you got JUAN GUAIDO saying he sle proclaimed and NICOLAS MADURO saying he is president, TRUMP DONT WANT MAUDRO THERE CAUSE HE AINT PLAYING BALL, the USA after the oil , just like MEXICO, the USA want to keep the CARIBBEAN in chains, want to keep US dependant on the USA, dont want US to get oil from VENEZUELA, or even MEXICO cause it would be cheaper, then you got this man from the BAHAMAS, a GROBER VERDAMMTER IDIOT, talking bout the VENEZUELA elections were illegitimate, how he know that, was he there to know, i still glad that MIA wasnt there tho, cause she would look like a bigger fool than she is right now, any way MIA MOTTLEY, REVISIT THAT OPEN MARKET AND FREE MOVEMENT OF PPL, CLOSE THAT DOOR, AND DONT PUT ANOTER CENT IN LIAT, IF IT GOT TO GO SO BE IT, let the ppl travel by CARIBBEAN AIR LINE
A region, with no economic or political strength, all they are doing is getting themselves involve, with a matter which should be left to the people of Venezuela………..
Our Priminister, should spend all the time fixing our Barbados infrastructure ,plus the guns and crime on our island…………………..