TT participates in new ‘road map’ for Venezuela

TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO, together with the signatory countries of the Montevideo Mechanism, agreed on a “road map” on the crisis that Venezuela is going through and that will be put to the consideration of the different actors in that South American nation.

Foreign Minister Dennis Moses participated this week in a meeting in Mexico City with foreign ministers of Uruguay, Barbados and the host country, as well as representatives of Caricom and the transitional government of Argentina.

In the official statement, the governments stressed their commitment "to contribute to the Venezuelan people to find a peaceful and democratic solution to their differences, so that Venezuela reaches peace and stability.

"We call on all actors to take the path of a broad, credible and inclusive dialogue for that purpose," they said.

They reaffirmed their position in favour of “a dialogue based on impartiality and trust as raised by the process led by the Kingdom of Norway”, and reiterated their concern “for the humanitarian situation in Venezuela, urging all parties to guarantee protection of human rights.

“We categorically reject the invocation of the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance, as it is an instrument designed to stop aggressions between states, not to address humanitarian situations. We condemn any attempt to threaten or use force, or any other action contrary to international law.”

They agreed on a roadmap proposal, based on the four phases established in the Montevideo Mechanism.

The first phase, called immediate dialogue, corresponds to the generation of conditions for direct contact between the actors involved, “under the protection of a security environment.”

Next, it would go to negotiation, which contemplates the “strategic presentation of the results of the dialogue phase to the counterparts” and areas of opportunity for the “flexibilisation of positions and identification of potential agreements” would be sought.

The third phase, commitment, would consist of the "construction and subscription of agreements based on the results of the negotiation.

Finally, it would proceed to the implementation or "materialisation of the commitments assumed" with the international accompaniment.