Arrest warrant for Nicolás Maduro

Luis Almagro demands justice for deaths in protests.
OAS fails in its attempt to ‘go against Maduro.’
The Venezuelan crisis worsens.

The Organization of American States (OAS) is at the center of a political storm following the controversial elections in Venezuela.

OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro has launched a harsh accusation against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

He has also called for criminal charges to be brought against him for the deaths that occurred during the post-election protests in the South American country.

«Maduro announced a bloodbath. He fulfilled it, he is fulfilling it, 17 dead,» said Almagro during an urgent session of the OAS Permanent Council.

OAS SECRETARY GENERAL THREATENED WITH AN ARREST WARRANT

justice, arrest warrant, election results, transparency, verification of results, MundoNOW, Arrest warrant for Nicolás Maduro — Arrest warrant for Nicolás Maduro PHOTO AP

Almagro held the president responsible for the violence in his country and insisted that the International Criminal Court (ICC) should be asked to intervene.

«It’s time for justice, and we are going to request the filing of these charges with an arrest warrant,» he said firmly, according to CNN.

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While Almagro made this dramatic call, the OAS was divided.

According to an AP report, the organization failed to reach a consensus to pressure Venezuelan authorities to «immediately» publish and verify the election results that declared Nicolás Maduro the winner.

The OAS resolution urged the Venezuelan electoral authority «to immediately publish the voting results.»

It also called for «a comprehensive verification of the results» in the presence of independent international observers «to ensure the transparency, credibility, and legitimacy of the electoral results.»

However, the representatives of the OAS countries could not reach a consensus, forcing a vote in the OAS Permanent Council.

The vote was another blow to the OAS’s efforts.

DID MEXICO ‘DEFEND’ NICOLÁS MADURO BEFORE THE OAS?

Venezuelan crisis, Venezuelan elections, International Criminal Court, ICC, MundoNOW — PHOTO AP

According to AP, the absolute majority of votes needed for the resolution to be approved was not achieved. They were one vote short.

Brazil and Colombia, whose leaders had demanded transparency from the electoral authority in recent days, abstained from voting.

Mexico, which had already anticipated its absence, also did not participate.

In total, 17 members of the OAS Permanent Council voted in favor, 11 abstained, and five were absent, including Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela itself. There were no votes against.

International pressure on the Maduro government has increased after the National Electoral Council (CNE) officially declared Maduro president.

This is his second re-election for a third six-year term.

The electoral body released results that gave the president victory with 51% of the votes compared to 44% for opposition candidate Edmundo González.

Thousands of opposition supporters have taken to the streets of Venezuela to protest this result.

THIS IS WHAT AMLO SAID ABOUT NICOLÁS MADURO

Venezuela, Organization of American States, Permanent Council of the OAS, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Alicia Bárcena, Mexico, MundoNOW — Arrest warrant for Nicolás Maduro PHOTO Shutterstock

The Venezuelan opposition, led by María Corina Machado and González, claims they won the elections by a substantial margin and are demanding that the authorities publish the electoral records.

The OAS session was held in Washington and was convened by a dozen countries.

The resolution also called for «safeguarding the fundamental human rights of Venezuela» as an «absolute priority.»

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador announced that Foreign Minister Alicia Bárcena would not attend the meeting.

«We are not going to participate because we do not agree with the OAS’s biased attitude,» he said during his daily morning conference.

A day earlier, Almagro’s office issued a statement saying it was «imperative to know about Maduro’s acceptance of the records held by the opposition and consequently accept his electoral defeat.»

If not, he said, «new elections would be necessary» with international observers from the European Union and the OAS and new electoral authorities.

Venezuela unilaterally decided years ago to withdraw from the OAS, highlighted AP.