CARIBBEAN-OECS congratulates Maduro on electoral victory.

CASTRIES, St. Lucia, CMC – Leaders of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) have congratulated Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on “his victory and re-election to the Presidency of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for a third term

In a statement issued Monday following the 75th meeting of the OECS Authority held virtually last weekend, the subregional leaders said that they discussed the July 28 poll and “expressed their commitment to the holding of free and fair elections in every member of the global community as the surest expression of the will of the people.

“We stand on the principle that elections must be free as the expression of the will of the people and free from outside interference, and they must be fair – contested in good faith and subject to the adjudication of independent mechanisms with relevant safeguards for verification and arbitration of any dispute, all within the framework of the national laws and regulations governing the conduct of elections,” the OECS leaders said in their statement.

“We congratulate President Nicolás Maduro Moros on his victory and re-election to the Presidency of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for a third term and urge that every effort be made towards national reconciliation,” they said, adding, “the OECS further expresses its appreciation of the invaluable solidarity and friendship extended by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela which has flourished for over two decades.”

The opposition parties have accused Maduro of stealing the election and have also disputed the figures so far released by the National Electoral Council (CNE).

The opposition parties are supported by the United States and several Western countries, while Muduro has received congratulations from China, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Honduras, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and some Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries.

The OECS groups the islands of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts-Nevis, Montserrat, Anguilla, and the British Virgin Islands.

Last week, following their 47th regular meeting, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries appeared divided on the issue.

CARICOM chairman and Grenada’s Prime Minister, Dickon Mitchell, told the end-of-summit news conference that the issue should not be regarded as dividing the regional bloc.

“It’s not an indication that CARICOM is divided on this issue,” Mitchell said, adding that the Venezuelan election is a domestic affair.

“Second, Venezuela is not a member of CARICOM, and I think we expect, and it has already happened, that members will indicate their positions. CARICOM noted that the elections are taking place. We are happy that the people of Venezuela got the opportunity to exercise their democratic right to engage in elections.

“And so no, there is no division within CARICOM on the issue because there’s no need for CARICOM to have a division, honestly,” he told reporters.

“What I know for a fact is that elections were held, a declared winner was announced, and it’s being challenged or disputed. I don’t know that there is no verification process. I mean, elections are held everywhere. Sometimes, they are disputed, and sometimes, they are not,” he said.