Dear Editor,

The Jamaica Peace Council is concerned about a recent statement by Prime Minister Andrew Holness that he had not come to “a definitive position as to whether [Juan] Guaidó could be considered the de facto president of Venezuela based on an analysis of the Venezuelan Constitution”.

The prime minister is reported to have made the statement during an interview with The Gleaner in which he was asked about the Government’s position on the upcoming election of a general secretary for the Organization of American States (OAS).

It seems that his Administration’s vote hinges on his indecision about the legitimacy of the delusional self-proclaimed president, despite the fact that, in January 2019, the Caricom Community condemned the current general secretary of the OAS, Luis Almagro, for his “unilateral” stance in accepting Juan Guaido as interim president of Venezuela, and for virtually advocating the overthrow of the legitimate Government of President Nicolas Maduro.

Holness admitted the open secret that he is being lobbied by the US Government to support the re-election of Luis Almagro, who has used his position to wreak havoc in the region by undermining governments that do not genuflect to imperialism and the multinational companies and orchestrating their overthrow.

Holness does not need to study the constitution of Venezuela to recognise that María Fernanda Espinosa, former president of the United Nations General Assembly, is the best candidate to bring dignity to the position and broaden the scope of activities to address a range of major issues facing the region.

Could the prime minister be holding back on revealing the candidate that his Government will back in the OAS election because he knows that he is yielding to pressure from the United States, despite the objective facts that clearly indicate he should do otherwise?

Could he be holding back because he is trying to find some shred of justification for selling out the people of Jamaica and the region?

The people of Jamaica have a right to know what position Jamaica is taking on the issue. It affects the dignity of our nation and the preservation of the region of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace.

The greatest tribute he could pay today, so close to International Women’s Day, to the women of Jamaica, the region, and the world is to announce that our Government will vote for Maria Fernanda Espinosa on March 20; not just because she is a woman, but because she is the most capable and qualified of the three candidates.

Secretariat

Jamaica Peace Council

jamaicapeacecouncil@gmail.com