St.Kitts-Nevis Prime Minister the Hon. Dr. Timothy S. Harris was among leaders OF ALBA countries from the Caribbean and Latin America at an emergency summit in Venezuela .
(L to R) Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Saint Kitts and Nevis PM Timothy Harris, Cuban President Raul Castro, Antigua and Barbuda’s PM Gaston Browne, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro,
The member nations of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our Americas (ALBA) regional integration bloc held the extraordinary summit on Tuesday in Caracas in support of Venezuela amidst US sanctions.
The regional grouping of Leaders urged the US to repeal an executive order which declared Venezuela a threat to the national security of the North American country.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro stressed his country was no threat. Both countries have been trading barbs over the last few months.
Tension s between the country rose after the US published an executive order on 9 March announcing sanctions on seven Venezuelan officials suspected by the US of committing human rights abuses.
(L to R) Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, Saint Kitts and Nevis PM Timothy Harris, Cuban President Raul Castro, Antigua and Barbuda’s PM Gaston Browne, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro,
In the order, US President Barack Obama stated that the situation in Venezuela, including “the government’s erosion of human rights constitutes an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States”.
The wording of the order caused outrage not only with Venezuelan government officials, but also among its regional allies.
“Venezuela has no plans, did not have, nor will it ever have plans to attack the United States or hurt anyone,” Mr Maduro said at the Alba summit in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.
He received strong backing from the Cuban leader, Raul Castro.
Maduro thanked all governments, social movements, political parties and countries from around the world for their support of Venezuela, following the declaration by US President Barack Obama that the South America nation is a threat to US national security.
Dr. Harris was accompanied on the trip by the Hon. Ian “Patches” Liburd Minister of Public Infrastructure, Posts, Urban Development & Transport