Dialogue Not Interference, Says Ralph Gonsalves on Venezuela

In an exclusive interview with teleSUR, Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister of San Vicente and Grenadines, threw his support behind the government in neighboring Venezuela and slamming the approach of the Organization of American States, or OAS.

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"According to the international law and the treaty with which the OAS was established, there are no conditions in Venezuela that demand interference," said the Caribbean head of state and leader of the Unity Labour Party.

"There's no mayhem or a humanitarian crisis of an extraordinary kind that justifies any international intervention."

Gonsalves said opponents of Venezuela's government have a right to protest, but must also comply with law and the rules of democracy.

"The most important demonstration is that takes place in the secret ballot and those protesters can protest within the law, you can't break the law, that is elementary," he added. "From the time, the Bolivarian republic was established, you have had more elections in Venezuela than in any other country in the western hemisphere and all these elections have been adjudged to be free and fair and reflecting the democratic will of the people."

The Prime Minister of San Vicente and Grenadines urged dialogue instead of interventionism, saying, "Where you have a sharp conflict between the political forces in a democracy ... have a conversation, a dialogue where you can improve relations until the time comes for elections or if there's an agreement between both the sides to have an earlier elections, but the constitution has to be followed."

Gonsalves labeled calls for regime change "absolutely ridiculous and absurd," and said OAS head Luis Almagro had disappointed him.

"I voted for the secretary general because he was the foreign minister of "Pepe" of Uruguay, in fact, Venezuela said that he was a good man and see what happened now. We make mistakes sometimes."

Gonsalves also accused Almagro of "mobilized the elements within the OAS against sovereignty, independence, democracy and people's right to pursue their own path".