ST. JOHN’S, Antigua and Barbuda – 21 February 2015…..The administration of the Honourable Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda, on Saturday expressed its solidarity with the people and Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela where an attempted military coup was hatched then discovered, and defeated. The Antigua and Barbuda Government and people stand with the democratically elected administration of President Nicolas Maduro.
The coup was discovered on February 1, 2015, and several of the plotters have been detained and will face a trial. Nevertheless, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda condemns any and every attempt to bring an end to democratically-elected governments by means other than the ballot box. The era has long past, the Prime Minister recalled, when military coups in Latin America were the norm.
The Honourable Gaston Browne recalled that the member-countries of the Organization of American States (OAS) signed on The Inter-American Democratic Charter on September 11, 2001, in Lima, Peru, each pledging not to recognize any government which comes to power by undemocratic means. “The culture of coups and counter-coups is at an end,” Prime Minister Browne has stated.
The Prime Minister, along with Foreign Minister Charles Fernandez and Energy Minister Asot Michael, were at the time meeting with the Foreign Minister of Venezuela at the Prime Minister’s Office on Queen Elizabeth Highway, on Saturday morning, February 21, 2015. The Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Honourable Delcy Rodriguez, is visiting Antigua and Barbuda for several hours, having flown to Antigua in a private aircraft for the meeting with the Prime Minister and his colleagues. The Venezuelan team also discussed the pending purchase of shares in WIOC by Venezuela PEDEVEZA. Both commercial matters went very well.
The Venezuelan Foreign Minister leaves Antigua on Sunday, and discussions will continue with the Antiguan team. Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to Venezuela, H.E. Mr. Bernard Percival, will continue the discussion alongside Consultant Terry Burns. (Ends)
