Costa Rica reaffirmed Tuesday that it supports new, fair elections in Venezuela and that it rejects a military solution to the ongoing crisis, justifying its refusal to sign the latest declaration of the Lima Group, issued last Monday in Colombia.
Foreign Minister Manuel Ventura told reporters that Costa Rica was consistent in its support for Juan Guaidó, recognized as Venezuela’s interim president by some 50 countries, and in ignoring the 2018 elections in which President Nicolás Maduro was elected.
“Our country advocates that the political crisis in Venezuela be resolved in a political, peaceful and democratic manner and insists on the need to unite efforts so that in the shortest possible time, the necessary guarantees are established to carry out a credible electoral process, with the participation of all political actors,” Ventura said in a statement.
He added that Costa Rica will not support any “road map” that does not contemplate democratic means as a starting point to solve the Venezuelan crisis.
He said the Costa Rican government is concerned with the declarations of United States Vice President Mike Pence and of Guaidó, who have said that “all options” are open to evict Maduro from power, including the military.
“In this context, Costa Rica could not accompany the Declaration of the Group of Lima, of which it continues to be part and with which it maintains a series of affinities,” Ventura said.
However, the declaration of the Lima Group in Bogotá ruled out the use of force as a way out of the Venezuelan crisis.
Diplomat Alexis Coto, a Costa Rican ambassador in Bogotá, represented the country at the last meeting of the Lima Group.
Ventura said he spoke with Chilean diplomats on Monday about upcoming meetings of the Lima Group, which will be in Santiago, Chile, and said he will “do everything possible” to attend.
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