We already have an agreement called Petrocaribe – PM Gonsalves

St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) did not attend a recent video conference organized for Caricom leaders with Juan Guaidó, who has declared himself the interim President of Venezuela.

The meeting was hosted by the Canadian government, but Dr Ralph Gonsalves, prime minister of SVG, said Canada’s position on the Venezuela situation does not make them creditable interlocutors because they are only concerned with one side.

He said leaders must speak to Guaidó as a political representative of certain forces, not as interim president.

“We don’t acknowledge … [Guaidó as interim president], CARICOM doesn’t acknowledge that,” stated Gonsalves, adding that St Vincent and the Grenadines is part of the Montevideo Mechanism.

The Montevideo Mechanism was activated in Uruguay last February, with the intention of promoting dialogue among the political sectors in Venezuela. This meeting was initially convened by the governments of Mexico and Uruguay and brought together countries that believe and defend dialogue as the only possible way to resolve political differences between the Bolivarian Government and the opposition.

Gonsalves said that in any discussion, Mexico and Uruguay must be involved, because The Montevideo Mechanism is looking for constructive dialogue to bring about a meaningful resolution whether through elections or a referendum, but through the Constitution of Venezuela.

He revealed that during the meeting arranged by Canada, the authorities said Guaidó will put in place an energy agreement with CARICOM, but there is already an agreement called Petrocaribe which the Americans have undermined with sanctions.

“…And it is insulting for him (Guaidó) to send something like that for us through the Canadians and not I alone told the Canadians that it made it appear that the only reason we are calling for non-intervention and other things is that because we benefited from Venezuela in the past, so we are just being grateful.

“We ground it on principle and international law. If in any resolution Guaidó, becomes president, we deal with him, but you can’t have a make-believe imposition that he is president,” Gonsalves said.