The Government of Costa Rica joined the Governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and St. Lucia in not recognizing the start of a new government of Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela for the 2019-2025 period.
The countries, part of what is known as “Grupo de Lima”, consider that the electoral process that took place in Venezuela in May 2018 lacks legitimacy since it did not have the participation of all Venezuelan political parties or the presence of international independent observers, or the guarantees and international standards necessary for a free, fair and transparent process.
Maduro will begin its new presidential period this upcoming January 10.
However, and regardless of this position, Costa Rica will maintain a business representative in this country and will not support the diplomatic isolation of Venezuela as it is proposed by other countries of the group such as Colombia and Peru which wanted to opt for the closure of embassies in Venezuela.
“Costa Rica considers relevant not to contribute to the isolation of the different political sectors of the Venezuelan society, maintain spaces of dialogue that allow interested countries to find long lasting solutions to the Venezuelan crisis, as in our case, to interact with the political actors unaffiliated with the regimen and to ensure that the civil, political and human rights of all Venezuelans are being respected”, explained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a press release.
The Lima Group recognizes the legitimacy of the National Assembly which was elected in December, 2015 and call on Maduro to not take on the presidency on January 10, but instead, to transfer provisionally the Executive Branch to the National Assembly until new presidential democratic elections are held.
The Group “Reiterates its profound concern for the serious political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which has generated the massive exodus of migrants and refugees of this country as a result of anti-democratic, oppressive and dictatorial acts and politics, carried out by the regimen of Nicolás Maduro, which can only be resolved through the full reestablishment of the democratic order and the respect of human rights”, reads the declaration.
The political crisis in Venezuela has also had an important impact on the economy and the security of the countries in the region.
The countries, part of what is known as “Grupo de Lima”, consider that the electoral process that took place in Venezuela in May 2018 lacks legitimacy since it did not have the participation of all Venezuelan political parties or the presence of international independent observers, or the guarantees and international standards necessary for a free, fair and transparent process.
Maduro will begin its new presidential period this upcoming January 10.
However, and regardless of this position, Costa Rica will maintain a business representative in this country and will not support the diplomatic isolation of Venezuela as it is proposed by other countries of the group such as Colombia and Peru which wanted to opt for the closure of embassies in Venezuela.
“Costa Rica considers relevant not to contribute to the isolation of the different political sectors of the Venezuelan society, maintain spaces of dialogue that allow interested countries to find long lasting solutions to the Venezuelan crisis, as in our case, to interact with the political actors unaffiliated with the regimen and to ensure that the civil, political and human rights of all Venezuelans are being respected”, explained the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through a press release.
The Lima Group recognizes the legitimacy of the National Assembly which was elected in December, 2015 and call on Maduro to not take on the presidency on January 10, but instead, to transfer provisionally the Executive Branch to the National Assembly until new presidential democratic elections are held.
The Group “Reiterates its profound concern for the serious political and humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which has generated the massive exodus of migrants and refugees of this country as a result of anti-democratic, oppressive and dictatorial acts and politics, carried out by the regimen of Nicolás Maduro, which can only be resolved through the full reestablishment of the democratic order and the respect of human rights”, reads the declaration.
The political crisis in Venezuela has also had an important impact on the economy and the security of the countries in the region.
