By EFE
01 Aug 2024, 01:05 AM EDT
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, announced that he will ask the International Criminal Court (ICC) to order the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, whom he accused of having committed a “bloodbath” against protesters following the elections on Sunday, July 28.
“It is time for justice and we are going to request that charges be brought with an arrest warrant,” Almagro said during an extraordinary session of the OAS Permanent Council held in Washington, where he invited member states to join the request.
The Secretary-General said that “given” the investigation being conducted by the ICC Prosecutor into alleged serious crimes against humanity committed in Venezuela since 2014, “the time has come to bring charges against those responsible, including Maduro.”
“He is carrying out a bloodbath”
According to Almagro, the 61-year-old Venezuelan president has been in charge of directing the instruction for the implementation of the repression” against the Venezuelan people.
“Maduro announced a bloodbath and he is fulfilling it,” said the Uruguayan politician, referring to the 17 protesters killed in protests against the Venezuelan government following Sunday’s elections.
Nicolas Maduro said before the elections, during an electoral event, that Venezuela could fall into a “bloodbath in a civil war” if he did not win the elections.
“It was something that impressed me when he said it, but it impresses me even more when he is doing it,” said Luis Almagro.
The crisis has worsened
The crisis in Venezuela has worsened since the National Electoral Council (CNE) declared Maduro’s victory in the July 28 elections, results rejected by the opposition and much of the international community, which demands to see the voting records to verify the result.
The OAS did not obtain a sufficient majority to approve a resolution that required verification of the results in Venezuela, due to the abstention or absence of countries such as Brazil, Colombia and Mexico.
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