Gopee-Scoon clears air on OAS vote, V'zuela aid

SEAN DOUGLAS

TRADE Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon said the provision of humanitarian aid to Venezuela must not be politicised, as she explained why TT had abstained from a March 27 vote at the Organisation of American States (OAS) which had advocated such assistance. Opposition Senator Anita Haynes had asked the Government for clarification on what she saw as a confused foreign policy, in a motion on the adjournment of the Senate on Monday.

The OAS vote came after the incident last February where Venezuela National Assembly leader Juan Guaido had looked forward to a convoy of food aid from Cucuto, Colombia, but it was blocked at the Venezuelan border by forces loyal to President Nicolas Maduro who alleged it was all part of an attempted coup against him.

Haynes said the OAS permanent council had held a vote on a motion urging the Venezuelan authorities, especially the police and army, to refrain from blocking the entry of humanitarian aid. “What exactly does the Government of TT find objectionable in this resolution?” she asked.

Haynes said last January the Government had cited non-intervention to justify TT’s abstention on an OAS motion to reject the legitimacy of Nicolas Maduro as President of Venezuela. Now, despite Caricom having supported the idea of humanitarian aid, TT had ultimately abstained at the OAS vote, she said.

Accusing Foreign Affairs Minister Dennis Moses of often passing the buck, Haynes said, “I want to know if on this occasion we will again be told it is the error of a public servant or an appointed representative.” She found it “quite reprehensible” that TT had missed the chance to stand on the right side of history in favour of humanity and against human suffering.

Gopee-Scoon, acting Foreign Affairs Minister, in reply said Haynes had incorrectly said TT had been absent from the vote but in fact the TT delegate had publicly explained his position on the floor of the OAS.

She said, “The Government of TT’s position is that in circumstances where humanitarian assistance is required and requested by countries, multilateral agencies, such as those under the UN’s framework, should be employed in rendering such assistance.

“Furthermore we take the position that humanitarian assistance should not be politicised. Given the content of the resolution, and guided by this principled and consistent position that forms part of our foreign policy, TT abstained.”

Since that Senate sitting, on Wednesday came word of the arrival of aid (which Reuters said was largely generators, medical equipment and bottled water, flown in from Panama) from the Red Cross that Maduro said had entered "in a legal and orderly way, complying with international protocols," and which was welcomed by the Venezuelan Opposition.

At the Senate on Monday, Gopee-Scoon noted the Government had agreed to a migrant registration framework for Venezuelans under the purview of the Ministry of National Security.

The OAS website said that on March 27, the resolution was passed by 19 votes in favour, five against and eight abstentions, with two absent.

Those in favour were Argentina, The Bahamas, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, United States, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Dominican Republic, and St Lucia. Those against were Antigua and Barbuda, Nicaragua, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Uruguay and Venezuela. The abstentions were Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, El Salvador, Mexico, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname and TT, while the absentees were Dominica and Grenada.