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Maduro slams American regional organization leader for intervening in Venezuela

Xinhua, June 1, 2016 Adjust font size:

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Tuesday accused the head of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, of seeking to invoke an instrument, which could result in the suspension of its membership in the inter-continental organization.

The instrument called the Inter-American Democratic Charter (IDC) was created in 2001 in order to spell out what it called democracy and specifies how it should be defended when it is under threat among its members.

"Today, Almagro sought to turn the OAS into a supernational power beyond its constitution," said Maduro in an address to transportation workers at the presidential palace, calling for "a national rebellion against the international threats facing Venezuela."

"We will fight in the streets of Venezuela and Latin America as we have rights of independence, liberty, equality and sovereignty," "the IDC will not be activated against our country and our people," the head of state added.

He also slammed Almagro for attacking Venezuela yet remaining silent about the "parliamentary coup" in Brazil.

On Tuesday, Almagro called for a meeting of the OAS member states in June to discuss the current situation of Venezuela.

The meeting will discuss the possibility of activating the IDC for Venezuela, an instrument which has been activated only twice ever -- in 2002 for an attempted coup against former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez and in 2009 for a coup.

On the same day, Maduro blasted the opposition of the National Assembly (AN), led by Henry Ramos Allup, for "usurping" functions belonging to the president.

Maduro has accused the opposition, which seeks a recall referendum to remove him, of trying to open Venezuela to "foreign forces", and called Ramos Allup "a criminal without conscience".

Maduro said he decided to issue a formal complaint on Wednesday against the leadership of the AN for "usurping exclusive constitutional responsibilities of the president of Venezuela."

Venezuela's economy has plummeted along with global crude oil prices over the past two years, which has led to a series of problems including the shortage of commodity, soaring prices and deterioration of public security.

The Venezuelan government has put forward a cluster of policies as solutions, but the effects remain to be seen. Endi