“Looking for a reason to intervene”: why did the US use the Rio Pact against Venezuela

The United States and its allies in Latin America have decided to step up a mutual assistance treaty, known as the Rio Pact, due to the situation in Venezuela. This is stated in a statement by the head of the press service of the US State Department, Morgan Ortegus, published on the website of the foreign ministry.

“The United States and our partners have turned to the Inter-American Treaty of Mutual Assistance (Rio Pact), which will facilitate further collective action to combat the threat to the Venezuelan people and the entire region emanating from the former regime of Nicholas Maduro,” the State Department said in a statement.

The US Foreign Ministry also said that the United States and its allies intend to discuss "multilateral economic and political solutions" that they can use "to address the security threat posed by Maduro in the region."

In the Bolivarian Republic, they reacted to such statements and actions by the American side. The Minister of Defense of Venezuela, Vladimir Padrino Lopez, said the Armed Forces strongly rejected the "illegal activation" of the Inter-American Treaty of Mutual Assistance by the Organization of American States against Venezuela. Lopez’s statement was published on the official website of the republic’s Ministry of Defense.

“This is an unreasonable provocation aimed at legalizing a military invasion to overthrow Nicholas Maduro, the legitimate president of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, our commander in chief. This agreement is an outdated and hypocritical tool, a trick created by the American empire to confirm its hegemonic interests, ”the Minister of Defense emphasized.

According to him, the “unprecedented determination” to consider Venezuela as a threat to peace and security in the western hemisphere openly reveals the “true authors” of destabilization in the region.

“They appeal to this mechanism of intervention in order to strengthen their campaign of aggression, which, along with an immoral financial and economic blockade, also seeks to realize their ambitions by force. It is extremely important to emphasize that such an outcome will have fatal consequences for all of South America, turning the region where peace reigned over the past ten years into a war zone, ”said Lopez.

• Venezuelan Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino Lopez
• Reuters
• © Carlos Jasso

He also called the sad situation when representatives of the Venezuelan political opposition, "acting as mercenaries, openly support such measures to the detriment of the nation, seeking to criminally restore this absurdity called the Inter-American Treaty of Mutual Assistance and endorsing potential military intervention."

Recall that the Inter-American Treaty of Mutual Assistance was signed over 70 years ago in Rio de Janeiro by most of the countries that are members of the Organization of American States. The main principle of the Rio Pact is that an attack on any country party to this agreement will mean the use of force against all countries that have signed the treaty. In 2012, Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua decided to withdraw from the agreement.

"The Reincarnation of the Monroe Doctrine"

Washington’s measures to step up the Rio Pact because of the situation in Venezuela “deserve all condemnation,” said Vladimir Bruter, an expert at the International Institute for Humanitarian and Political Studies.

"Washington’s similar approach to solving the Venezuelan crisis is an attempt to intervene in the internal affairs of the Bolivarian Republic with the threat of the use of force, the" reincarnation of the Monroe Doctrine, "which often served as an excuse for US leadership in the region and expansionism," the expert said in a conversation with RT.

According to Bruter, the Inter-American Mutual Assistance Treaty contains an “obvious power component” and can be directed against anyone who does not share US political views.

“If Washington used to hold back the understanding that any use of force could be fatal, now the White House will probably have more people who want to be active. After all, Trump needs to invent a certain formula, thanks to which he could win the upcoming presidential election in 2020, ”the analyst explained.

According to Bruter, the activation of the Rio Pact suggests that the United States is ready to continue a very “dangerous and toxic" foreign policy with respect to Venezuela.

The activation of this document by Washington and its allies in Latin America was possible because the Organization of American States is putting pressure on the Latin American countries that signed the agreement, said Alexander Chichin, dean of the faculty of economic and social sciences of the Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration.

• Morgan Ortegus
• AFP
• © ALEX WONG / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA

“It is no secret that the Secretary General of the OAS, Luis Almagro, is very hostile towards Venezuela and Maduro. He supports anti-Venezuelan sentiments in Colombia and Brazil, and also advocates a forceful way to resolve the crisis in the Bolivarian Republic, ”the expert said in an interview with RT.

According to Chichin, the head of the OAS represents the interests of the United States and is the "conductor of American politics" in relation to Venezuela.

Another pretext

However, the Department of State called the Rio’s legitimate government’s refusal to “negotiate in good faith” with the opposition as the reason for the Rio Pact’s activation.

“The suspension of negotiations organized by Norway between the interim government of Venezuela and the former Maduro regime reflects the regime’s refusal to negotiate in good faith. The regime again considers negotiations as a tool to delay the process and undermines bona fide efforts to find a peaceful political solution, ”the statement said.

The State Department’s report also emphasized that “the Maduro regime torpedoed negotiations organized by Norway, refusing to do serious work to restore democracy in Venezuela.”

At the same time, the State Department said that “any negotiations” on Venezuela should be conducted by the president of the republic, Nicolas Maduro, and opposition leader Juan Guaido, who declared himself the interim head of state.

Recall, on September 16, Caracas signed an agreement with the opposition, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said this.

“I welcome the signing of the agreements reached at the negotiating table with the opposition. This is a step towards agreement and peace. All doors for dialogue will remain open for the sake of peace of all Venezuelans, ”he wrote on his Twitter page.

Saludo la firma de los acuerdos alcanzados en la Mesa de Diálogo con la oposición. Es un paso para avanzar hacia la convivencia y la Paz. Todas las puertas del diálogo seguirán abiertas para la tranquilidad de todos los venezolanos. (Ver Acuerdo) ==> https://t.co/QasDnaf3QMpic.twitter.com/vFfU89eeEk

Earlier, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Jorge Arreasa said that the leadership of Venezuela does not plan to stop the negotiation process with the opposition.

Speaking about the fact that Caracas allegedly refuses to negotiate “in good faith” with the opposition, Washington is simply trying to justify the activation of the Rio Pact, Vladimir Bruter believes. According to him, the United States has found another reason to increase pressure on the republic.

“The threat of the use of force by Washington and the specifics of the negotiations between Caracas and the opposition should not be made dependent. The Venezuelan government is not obligated at all to negotiate with Guaido, and even more so, as required by the United States. Not to mention the fact that Washington should not have any influence on the negotiation process, since this is an internal affair of the republic, ”the analyst emphasized.

According to Alexander Chichin, the United States "decided to remember" about the Rio Pact, since Maduro managed to split the unity of its opponents.

“The President of Venezuela was able to find a common language with moderate opposition. Washington sees that Guaido has lost the support of some of his supporters, and therefore decided to inspire them, somehow to reanimate the situation through the revitalization of the Inter-American Mutual Assistance Treaty, ”the expert said.

“The pressure will continue”

According to analysts, the activation of the Rio Pact is another sign indicating that Washington will continue to put pressure on the Bolivarian Republic.

On the eve of the United States expanded sanctions restrictions against Venezuela, adding to the black list three more individuals and 16 companies for allegedly participating in corruption schemes in the distribution of food. This was reported on the website of the US Treasury.

Among the companies under restriction, 11 are registered in Colombia, four in Panama and one in Italy. Sanctions imply blocking in the United States the property and property interests of these individuals and enterprises. In addition, American citizens are now prohibited from carrying out any operations with them.

Similar restriction was introduced by Washington earlier. In late July, similar sanctions began to be applied against ten individuals and 13 companies, mainly engaged in the supply of food to the republic. The Venezuelan Foreign Ministry said that such a measure of Washington is economic terrorism and a violation of international law.

According to Vladimir Bruter, by his actions the White House wants to have a psychological impact on the President of Venezuela.

“Washington hopes that Maduro will not be able to resist the nerves and take more radical actions against the opposition, after which the United States will receive an excuse for military intervention, sea or economic blockade. However, the Venezuelan leader does not make such a mistake, ”said the expert.

• Nicholas Maduro
• Reuters
• © Manaure Quintero / File

According to Bruter, the United States uses the opponents of the Venezuelan leader for its own purposes, "adding fuel to the fire," but the opposition has not been able to somehow create real problems for Maduro. The expert believes that the Venezuelan leader this time will cope with the increased pressure of the United States.

“However, the prospect of a further settlement of the situation in Venezuela will depend on the upcoming US presidential election. If a person comes to power with a softer position on the Venezuelan issue than the current administration, then it is likely that the situation in the Bolivarian Republic will be calmer. However, under Donald Trump, pressure on Venezuela will continue, ”the analyst concluded.