Situation in Venezuela: Lima Group statement

The Governments of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, members of the Lima Group, express their solidarity with the millions of Venezuelans affected by the power outage that has gone on for more than 50 hours and so far claimed 18 lives at hospitals as a consequence of the power cut, in addition to the innumerable difficulties in daily life that add up to the hardships that the Venezuelan people have been suffering for years. This situation only confirms the existence and magnitude of the humanitarian crisis that Maduro’s regime refuses to acknowledge.

We hold Maduro’s illegitimate regime exclusively responsible for the collapse of Venezuela’s electrical system.

We reiterate our support for Interim President Juan Guaidó and the National Assembly and we ratify our commitment towards the Venezuelan people as they seek a solution to the crisis faced by Venezuela. Only a legitimate government arising from free and democratic elections may rebuild institutions, infrastructure and the economy of the country, which is what the Venezuelan people need to recover their dignity, civil liberties and the respect for their human rights after years of disregard and denial.