Venezuela
remains at the top of today’s international agenda. People on both sides of the
conflict are convinced that the solution to the current national crisis must
come out of an open confrontation. That’s where we are now. It would be a serious
mistake. The country is deeply divided. Violence can only lead to death and
destruction. It will not address the deep causes of conflict.
I
continue to insist on dialogue through mediation. Both leaders must accept this
approach. The work of the international community should focus on convincing
Nicolas Maduro and Juan Guaidó to accept an agenda for dialogue. This is an
urgent task to be accomplished.
Unfortunately,
the UN is not in a position to play a role, for reasons that I mentioned in my
previous post. The UN Secretariat is afraid of Donald Trump. It is paralysed. It
cannot master the courage to tell President Trump that there is no other way
out but through a conflict resolution process. Through peace.
The
European Union has excluded itself from the solution. It has taken sides.
The
Latin American States have also aligned themselves with one position or the
other. They are too close to the conflict to be impartial.
The
only Latin American country that has remained neutral is Mexico. It could be
part of an international mediation group. The other two States I see as able of
mediating and facilitating are Switzerland and the Vatican.
My
proposal is to encourage the Swiss to take the lead and get the other two countries
on board. They would approach Maduro and Guaidó to obtain their commitment to
the process. They could get it. Particularly if the mediation is accompanied by
a serious effort to provide humanitarian aid to the people of Venezuela. True
humanitarian aid, of course.
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