Former CARICOM Leaders Say International Law Must be Respected

Former Prime Ministers of Caribbean community including Belize’s Said Musa have expressed concerns about maintaining the Caribbean as a peace zone. Musa along with Jamaica’s P.J. Patterson, Barbados’ Owen Arthur, Saint Lucia’s Kenny Anthony and Lester Bird former of Antigua and Barbuda are expressing ‘great disquiet about events surrounding the situation in Venezuela and the prospect of any action that is inconsistent with the principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity’. Venezuela remains in political and economic turmoil. As the political turmoil drags on, allies of Juan Guaido, who the U.S. and dozens of other countries have recognized as Venezuela’s rightful leader, are hoping a massive concert in Cucuta will set the stage for the smooth delivery of the aid and a turning point in their quest for a transitional government. The promised humanitarian avalanche is taking place exactly a month after Guaido declared himself interim president in an outdoor rally. The former Caribbean leaders are concerned that no action be taken that would jeopardise fundamental principles of international law. The former leaders believe that the delivery of such humanitarian assistance should not be politicised but should be conducted under the auspices of the United Nations. A statement from the group of five former leaders says that they categorically reject the use or the threat of force as a means of resolving the situation in Venezuela.