US & allied diplomats storm out as Venezuelan FM addresses UN drugs convention
US officials led allied diplomats in a huffy walkout as Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza stood to address a UN convention on narcotics in Vienna, declaring that he represented an "illegitimate government."
"The members of the Venezuela delegation here today represent the illegitimate government of Nicolas Maduro, and thus cannot be considered as speaking on behalf of the Venezuelan people," a US Mission to International Organizations spokesman declared after storming out of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, trailed by officials from several Latin American countries, Canada, and a few European nations, including France.
Today the United States walked out of the plenary chamber as Nicolas Maduro’s illegitimate representative Jorge Arreaza addressed member states at UN meetings in Vienna—Arreaza does not speak on behalf of the Venezuelan people. pic.twitter.com/AvTSKbRJ52
— US-UN Mission Vienna (@usunvie) March 14, 2019
Arreaza called for a multilateral approach to fighting the scourge of drugs, declaring the US' "unilateral economic steps" has depleted the nation's coffers and deprived it of money it could better use to actually fight drugs.
"Today the multilateral model is under threat and the situation of Venezuela is an example of this…The government of the US has threatened our people with a military aggression, with a use of force violating the UN charter," Arreaza said.
Journalist Anya Parampil retweeted a clip of the walkout, pointing out the irony of shunning the representative of a country's elected government in a body dedicated to the principle of national sovereignty.
The US tried to undercut Venezuela's FM while he addresses UN member states in Vienna. It's comical that the US would grandstand at the UN in this manner while blatantly violating the international body's founding principles (sovereignty & self determination). What children. https://t.co/GN10lOxC2E
— Anya Parampil (@anyaparampil) March 14, 2019
Others had a simpler take on the proceedings.
— Detroit Soul (@zapataguevera) March 14, 2019
Is our entire diplomatic corps staffed by temper tantrum-throwing children these days?
— Rik B ☭ 🔭🐦 🌹 HandsOffVenezuela 🇻🇪 (@TexasBirder56) March 14, 2019
As Venezuela's power finally comes back online and its people return to work, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced "the American people are with" the beleaguered Venezuelans, blaming "the Maduro regime" for denying them access to food, medicine, and – of course – democracy.
.@SecPompeo: "I have a message for the Venezuelan people—the American people are with you." pic.twitter.com/RLNB0iRw5Q
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 14, 2019
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov declared "our position is unwavering" with regard to support for Maduro's government.
In Vienna, Russian FM Lavrov reaffirms Moscow's support for VZ's democratically elected & internationally recognized gov, saying "our position is unwavering".DC & its pawns can stage all the infantile walkouts they want, but their coup will still fail.https://t.co/G1Z4bMzYUa
— Anya Parampil (@anyaparampil) March 14, 2019
Thursday wasn't the first time US diplomats snubbed the Venezuelan foreign minister – they pulled a similar stunt last month as he called for talks between US President Donald Trump and Maduro in an address to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
Also on rt.com US threatens ‘secondary sanctions’ against those who refuse to back its Venezuela coupSelf-declared president Juan Guaido, who anointed himself leader of Venezuela nearly two months ago, promised on Monday to oust Maduro "very soon," blaming him for the blackouts.
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