Skip to main content

United Nations stuck in stalemate over Venezuela

THE United Nations security council remained in stalemate over Venezuela today after it rejected both the US’s calls to support self-declared “interim” president Juan Guaido and the motion from Russia and China in support of President Nicolas Maduro’s government.  

Nine member nations on the council voted in favour of the US motion, while Russia, China and South Africa voted against it and Indonesia, Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast abstained.

Russia’s motion was supported by China, South Africa and Equatorial Guinea. It received seven votes against it and four members abstained.

Central to the US motion was the claim that Mr Maduro’s government, in an act of dictatorial villainy, is actively preventing humanitarian aid from entering the country.

In reality, however, Venezuela is accepting aid from Russia, China, India and Mexico, which only today delivered four large shipments of food and first aid equipment to Vargas state.

Vargas governor Jorge Luis Garcia Carneiro said the local government will “continue working to attend to the people in an integral way. Strategies have been strengthened to ensure that food reaches each household.”

Both the UN and Red Cross condemned the US’s aid earlier this month for its partisan nature. Colombia’s International Red Cross said it would not “be participating in what is, for us, not humanitarian aid.” It is, however, already working in hospitals throughout the country.

Likewise, a UN spokesperson said humanitarian action “needs to be independent of political, military or other objectives.”

Later this evening, US President Donald Trump administration slapped further economic sanctions on six military leaders close to Mr Maduro’s government.

The US Treasury Department justified the sanctions on the six individuals for their role in preventing US aid from crossing into the country from Colombia.

In a statement the department said: “This action … targets six security officials who control many of the groups that prevented humanitarian aid from entering Venezuela, thereby exacerbating the humanitarian crisis that has left millions of Venezuelans starving and without access to medical care under the Maduro regime.”

OWNED BY OUR READERS

We're a reader-owned co-operative, which means you can become part of the paper too by buying shares in the People’s Press Printing Society.

 

 

Become a supporter

Fighting fund

You've Raised:£ 13,288
We need:£ 4,712
3 Days remaining
Donate today