The meeting of the Organization of American States (OAS), Permanent Council convened to evaluate the possibility of holding a meeting of ambassadors to address the current political situation in Venezuela, has been postponed after pressure from the Venezuelan Government, said Carlos Ponce, coordinator for the Latin American and Caribbean Network for Democracy (Redlad).
The United States ordered three Venezuelan diplomats to leave in reprisal for President Nicolas Maduro's expulsion of three US embassy staff accused of fomenting unrest that has killed at least 13 people.
The Argentine ambassador to the United Kingdom, Alicia Castro, openly revealed her support for Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro as protests in the nation continued, while criticizing what she saw as a ferocious media attack carried out by opponents of the head of state.
Organization of American States, OAS, Jose Miguel Insulza has suggested the participation of 'outside players' in Venezuela to try and lower the pressure and consequences of the current situation in the country. Insulza made the suggestion in a letter published by several newspapers from the region, but underlining that it is Venezuelans that must reach an understanding to overcome the situation.
The Mercosur summit is still scheduled for March but given the current situation in Venezuela, host of the event, there could be another delay admitted Paraguay's Foreign minister Eladio Loizaga, who added that there are permanent contacts between members countries to try and avoid another scenario.
In a rally at the Buenos Aires province town of Florencio Varela, President Cristina Fernandez ratified Argentina’s “solidarity” with the Venezuelan government of President Nicolas Maduro, as the fifth Mercosur full member continues to be caught up in a wave of violent protests that have claimed the lives of 6 so far.
President of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro has warned that if US-owned television station CNN do not change their coverage of protests they will be forced out of the country. CNN has the objective of forcing a civil war in order to provoke the 'gringo' [US] army against our fatherland. Alert the entire country, alert, the head of state warned, in a live television appearance this evening.
The current political crisis in Venezuela is rattling regional organizations, has two of the leading countries fearful of the crowds in the streets, while Latin American left wing populism believes there is a concerted right wing effort to destabilize the governments of Venezuela and Argentina, according to Argentine political analyst Rosendo Fraga.
Imprisoned protest leader Leopoldo Lopez urged supporters to keep fighting for the departure of Venezuela's populist government, even as he was due in court accused of fomenting unrest that has killed at least five people.
In early March Mercosur will have readied its proposal to liberate trade to be presented to the European Union, the basis for a wide-ranging cooperation and trade agreement between the two blocks, announced Rubens Barbosa, head of the Trade Council from the Sao Paulo State Industries Federation, FIESP.