WASHINGTON, CMC – The United States says the ruling by Venezuela’s Supreme Court last Friday “runs contrary to commitments” made by the Nicolás Madura government in the Barbados agreement.
The Partial Agreement on the Promotion of Political Rights and Electoral Guarantees for All, most commonly known as the Barbados Agreement, is a pair of agreements signed by the Maduro government and the Venezuelan opposition in Bridgetown in October 2023.
The agreement is described as part of broader efforts to bring dialogue between the Venezuelan government and the opposition and promote negotiations aimed at free and fair elections in the South American country and the welfare of the Venezuelan people.
US Department of State Spokesperson Matthew Miller said that the Venezuelan Supreme Court’s decision “to disqualify democratic opposition primary winner Maria Corina Machado is inconsistent with the commitment by Nicolás Maduro’s representatives to hold a competitive Venezuelan presidential election in 2024.
“The reinstatement process lacked basic elements, as Machado neither received a copy of the allegations against her nor was allowed to respond to those allegations,” he said.
“This deeply concerning decision runs contrary to the commitments made by Maduro and his representatives under the Barbados electoral roadmap agreement to allow all parties to select their candidates for the presidential election.”
As a result, Miller said the Biden administration is currently reviewing its Venezuela sanctions policy “based on this development and the recent political targeting of democratic opposition candidates and civil society.”
On October 17, last year, US Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken; the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell Fontelles; the Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly; and the United Kingdom Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs James Cleverly welcomed the Venezuelan-led political agreement reached in Barbados.
“This agreement represents a necessary step in continuing an inclusive dialogue process and restoring democracy in Venezuela. We support a peaceful negotiated outcome that leads to fair and competitive elections and a return to economic stability and security,” they said in a joint statement.
“We continue to call for the unconditional release of all those unjustly detained, the independence of the electoral process and judicial institutions, freedom of expression including for members of the press, and respect for human and political rights,” they added.
The leaders said they would work with international partners and others “to address the urgent needs of all Venezuelans inside and outside their country and to alleviate the humanitarian crisis.”
They also said they were “grateful to Barbados for hosting the negotiations and to Norway for its leadership in facilitating the negotiations.”
At the time, the Brazilian government congratulated the Venezuelan government and the opposition for signing the agreements.
Brazil said it would continue to contribute to the dialogue process between Venezuelan political forces “to lift all sanctions and conduct free, competitive, and transparent elections next year.”
and then 