Lima Group Declaration

The governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, members of the Lima Group, express the following: 

1. We reiterate our recognition and support to Juan Guaidó as Interim President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in accordance with its Constitution. We greet the decision of the growing number of countries that have recognized the Interim President Juan Guaidó, and call on the international community to give him its strongest support, as well as to the National Assembly, in its efforts to establish a Government of democratic transition in Venezuela.

2. With great satisfaction we accept and welcome the call of the Interim President Juan Guaidó to include the legitimate government of Venezuela to the Lima Group.

3. We agree to recognize and work together with the representatives appointed by the government of the Interim President Juan Guaidó in their respective countries.

4. We observe that the initiatives of dialogue promoted by various international actors were manipulated by the Maduro regime, transforming them into dilatory maneuvers to perpetuate his power. Thus, we consider that every political or diplomatic initiative that develops should aim at supporting the constitutional roadmap presented by the National Assembly and the Interim President, Juan Guaidó, in order to pursue a peaceful transition among the Venezuelan people, achieve the exit of the dictatorial Maduro regime, and hold elections and restore the Venezuelan democracy.

5. We call for the immediate restoration of democracy in Venezuela through holding free and fair elections convened by legitimate authorities, in accordance with international standards and as soon as possible. These elections should be held with sufficient guarantees, the participation of political leaders and with international observation, together with the appointment of a new National Electoral Council.

6. We condemn the persistent and serious violations of human rights taking place in Venezuela. In that respect, we reject acts of violence and repression of popular manifestations from sections of the security forces that have caused several dead, injured and arrests.

7. We call for the reestablishment of full freedom of the press, an end to censorship and the normalization of the functioning of the media, whose work has been arbitrarily impeded by the Maduro regime.

8. We reiterate the importance of effectively applying the UN Human Rights Council Resolution approved on September 27 2018 "Promotion and protection of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela". We urge the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to immediately provide a response to the serious human rights situation in that country.

9. We express our concern for the situation of political prisoners in Venezuela and demand their immediate liberation. Also, we demand that the physical integrity of the members of the National Assembly is guaranteed.

10. We express our deep concern for the serious humanitarian situation in Venezuela caused by the Maduro regime. We call for the access of humanitarian aid to be guaranteed in order to to satisfy the urgent needs to the Venezuelan people, and make a call on the United Nations and its agencies, and the international community to be prepared to provide humanitarian aid to the people in that country.

11. We call the Venezuelan Armed Forces to manifest their loyalty to the Interim President in his constitutional role of Commander-in-Chief of that institution. Likewise, we urge the National Army not to prevent the entry nor the transit of humanitarian aid for the Venezuelan people.

12. We reiterate our concern for the exodus caused by the political, economic and social crisis in Venezuela, and we reaffirm its close connection with the rupture of the constitutional order. Similarly, we recognize the effort of the host countries and highlight the need of supporting and strengthening its capacity of assistance and humanitarian response through facilitating their access to the requested resources.

13. We take note of the Resolution 1/2019 of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, that decreed precautionary measures to protect Juan Guiadó and his family, and demand its immediate implementation.

14. We condemn the measures of the Supreme Tribunal of Justice controlled by the Maduro regime of prohibiting the exit of the Interim President Juan Guiadó from the country and of blocking his accounts and goods in Venezuela.

15. We highlight the fundamental role of the legitimate Supreme Tribunal of Justice in opening the process of democratic transition.

16. We call on the members of the international community to prevent the Maduro regime to carry out financial and commercial transactions abroad, access to the international assets in Venezuela and make business either in oil, gold or other assets.

17. Finally, we reiterate our support to a process of pacific transition through political and diplomatic means without the use of force.