OAS recognizes Juan Guaido's ambassador
April 10, 2019
The members of the Organization of American States (OAS) voted on Tuesday to recognize Juan Guaido's ambassador as the country's official representative to the organization.
The move solidifies acting-president Nicolas Maduro's exit from the regional body, further isolating Venezuela from its neighbors.
The OAS is the second multilateral organization in the hemisphere to recognize representatives designated by Guaido, after the Inter-American Development Bank accepted Ricardo Hausmann as its Venezuelan envoy last month.
With 18 votes in favor, nine against, six abstentions and one absence, the OAS confirmed Gustavo Tarre as Venezuela's new delegate.
Tarre told reporters he will take over the job after he delivers his credential letter to OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro on Wednesday.
"It means the usurpation of the Venezuelan seat (at the OAS) has ended," he said.
Read more: Venezuela crisis: Is Cuba's oil supply under threat?
OAS exit
Venezuela's foreign ministry condemned to the vote, saying the bloc was supporting a coup against Maduro.
"With the illegitimate acceptance of a political puppet ... the OAS is supporting the coup d'etat plan that began on January 23," the ministry said, alluding to the date when Guaido proclaimed his interim presidency.
Venezuela has been a part of the OAS as a founding member in 1948. But in recent years, ties to the regional group became strained as members sharply criticized Maduro's government and human rights abuses in the South American country.
In 2017, Venezuela announced it would be leaving the bloc, accusing the OAS of pushing for an intervention against Maduro. The withdrawal, the first time of any in the bloc's history, would not take place until 2 years after the announcement or April 27, 2019.
On Tuesday, Maduro's OAS representative Asbina Marin said the recognition proved that Maduro's move to leave the bloc was "the right decision."
jcg/aw (EFE, AFP, dpa)