The governments of Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, and the Dominican Republic requested a proclamation from the international organization.
Suspicions of fraud during this Sunday’s elections in Venezuela led several countries in the region to ask for the Organization of American States (OAS) immediate actions, including the publication of a Democratic Charter and an urgent meeting of the Permanent Council.
In a statement, the governments of Paraguay, Argentina, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Dominican Republic and Uruguay They also demanded “a complete review of the results with the presence of independent electoral observers.”
The joint note said that this review ensures “respect for the will of the Venezuelan people who participated massively and peacefully” in Sunday’s elections and that the vote count must be transparent and not raise questions.
“Our governments will request an urgent meeting of the Permanent Council of the OAS “to issue a resolution that safeguards the popular will, within the framework of the Democratic Charter and the fundamental principles of democracy in our region,” the joint note said.
However, Venezuela ceased to belong to the OAS in April 2019 after having requested it two years earlier due to discrepancies, but recently the president of Colombia, Gustavo Petroadvocated for the re-entry of his neighboring country into the organization.
What does the Democratic Charter enable?
According to the official website of the OAS, This document “gives the governments of the hemisphere a new compass to guide their collective action when democracy faces dangers.” Thus, the Democratic Charter The Inter-American Convention states in a simple and direct manner: “The peoples of America have the right to democracy and their governments have the obligation to promote and defend it.”
It has 28 articles divided into six chapters: Democracy and the Inter-American System, democracy and the Human rightsdemocracy, comprehensive development and the fight against poverty, the strengthening and preservation of democratic institutions, democracy and electoral observation missions, and the promotion of democratic culture. It details what democracy is about and specifies how it should be defended against threats.
Source: Ambito
