Any meeting which could occur in T&T between Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro and his Venezuelan Opposition opponents would have to be held under the aegis of the United Nations, assisted by T&T’s leadership, says former diplomat Reginald Dumas.
Dumas expressed the view after the embattled Maduro on Monday told members of the Venezuelan diplomatic corps in Caracas, his administration was establishing contact with governments who offered to mediate.
He said he’d spoken on Monday “at length” to Caribbean prime ministers who were in New York and also spoke to Bolivian president Evo Morales.
Maduro said he’d told them he was ready, to begin with, all of the Venezuelan Opposition, a “rounds of conversations, dialogue, negotiations in Venezuela, T&T or wherever,” when or where they want them.
This following the crisis in Venezuela after National Assembly head Juan Guaido’s recent move to assume self-declared presidency and follow-up action to settle in.
Maduro’s statement came amid the visit of a Caricom delegation— including Prime Minister Keith Rowley—to the United Nations.
The team met on Monday with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres following which Rowley expressed hope “that in the not too distant future there will be a significant improvement and a diminishing of tensions in T&T’s neighbouring territory.”
Rowley also said, “In coming days there will be work towards dialogue so that the internal difficulties in Venezuela can be approached without intervention and interference from those who may have a different approach.”
Rowley returns today. In his absence, other Government officials didn’t venture word on Maduro’s willingness to meet here beyond acting Foreign Affairs Minister Paula Gopee-Scoon’s view that T&T has so far been playing an “outstanding role” in the issue.
She said this was evidenced by Caricom’s view on the matter, mirroring T&T’s own. She said the Caricom delegation’s trip to the US had gained traction and the signal T&T was getting “could only be good” if Maduro was willing to talk to his opponents.
On Maduro’s willingness to meet in T&T, Reginald Dumas (also former public service head) said, “I support this type of mediation. If properly arranged with the appropriate participants, it could enhance T&T’s image. But it would have to involve the principals in Venezuela, Maduro and Guaido, and should be held under the aegis of the United Nations. If it comes off it could be chaired by Caricom’s chairman assisted by T&T’s Prime Minister,”
UNC MP Ganga Singh said Maduro’s openness for a meeting hinted, “It’s clear the preferred option for Maduro is for him to demit office and be given safe passage for him and his group out to a country of his choice for asylum and free up the democratic process to proceed in Venezuela.”
“Government should be facilitatory and create any forum to bring about peace in Venezuela. It will show T&T in a good light and T&T could emerge as a beacon for democracy and human rights. The Prime Minister will have to use his influence and loyalty to Maduro to facilitate his exit. That would open up the democracy and allow for free, fair elections. But any meeting must deal with the issues of starvation, human rights abuses and other Venezuelan problems as sidebar issues. But if the Prime Minister fails to influence Maduro (exit), there’ll be blood on the streets of Venezuela and T&T will suffer collateral damage.”
UNC MP Dr Bhoe Tewarie said, “I fully understand Prime Minister Rowley’s aspirations. Venezuela is our next door neighbour and it’s legitimate for T&T’s Prime Minister to want to play on the big stage especially on this issue where national interests are stake. I also fully appreciate Caricom’s need to carve out a mediating role and a united front in an escalating crisis that carries the potential to assault peace in our region. But I think the time has passed, it’s now too late. I’d be surprised if it happens. I believe the Government has missed the boat.
“Guaido will not come here or anywhere else as an Opposition representative. He’s settling in: declared himself interim president, appointed a Cabinet, plus his OAS ambassador and is already recognised by 20 countries. Other Venezuelan Opposition leaders will not now treat with Maduro as president. For the time being, they’re united behind Guaido,”
“When Maduro said he’d be willing to meet with Guaido in T&T or elsewhere, he’d have immediately telegraphed that he’s comfortable with T&T’s Government, who’s his ally. This would immediately make Guaido hesitant. He’d also have telegraphed the reputation of T&T as a supporter of the Maduro dictatorship and this would have been reinforced in the minds of Venezuelans. This may raise some scepticism. Maduro’s announcement would also have conveyed the impression that he, Maduro and PM Rowley are having an on-going conversation. This might be interpreted in some quarters as a plan to buy time for Maduro when the majority of Venezuelans want him out.” • See Page A21