By YOURI KEMP
Tribune Business Reporter
ykemp@tribunemedia.net
In light of three countries being excluded from the upcoming Summit of the Americas, Foreign Affairs and Public Service Minister Fred Mitchell has announced that the government is reversing the previous administration's position on Venezuela and is now supporting Nicholas Maduro's regime.
The summit is scheduled to be held in Los Angeles, California, June 6-10, and will play host to leaders from throughout the Caribbean and Latin American region. However, the host country, the United States, has decided to exclude Venezuela, Nicaragua and Cuba from attending this year’s summit, prompting calls from some Caribbean leaders for a boycott.
Mr Mitchell, who was giving his contribution during the budget debate on Thursday, said: “There has been a concern that three countries have not been invited to the summit; they are Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua, and we have spoken up to the Americans. There are some countries that have decided, because those countries are not being invited that they will not attend…”
Other leaders from Latin America have also decided not to attend and are sending their foreign affairs ministers to the summit instead.
The Biden administration said it is seeking ways to represent the people of those three countries without having their leadership present.
Mr Mitchell said Prime Minister Philip Davis "wants to make the point to the Americans directly that you must have a summit of all countries of the hemisphere and not some countries of the hemisphere.”
One country disagreeing with the internal governance of another country is “not sufficient reason” to deny someone a seat at the table, he added.
The Maduro regime has been under various US imposed sanctions, which started in 2015 under former US President Barack Obama and intensified under his successor, Donald Trump.
The US government has labelled the Maduro government a “threat” to its national security and his presidency illegitimate following Venezuela's 2018 election that American observers have called deeply flawed and which led to the country’s 2019 presidential crisis.
The previous Free National Movement government led by Dr Hubert Minnis in 2019 decided to recognise Venezuelan opposition leader and interim president Juan Guaido, a move that was “appreciated” by the former Trump administration.
In other news concerning the Bahamas Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr Mitchell said along with new hires, they are looking at opening consulates in Toronto, Los Angeles, Dubai, Jamaica, Trinidad and Panama.
Comments
IslandWarrior 1 year, 10 months ago
Fred Mitchell, you can not be serious; even the Americans have abandoned that position, that train has left its station a long time ago. ...come on man.
DDK 1 year, 10 months ago
Well done, Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Davis!! At last some cohones!
Baha10 1 year, 10 months ago
This has got to be perhaps the most “insane” Foreign Policy Decision in 50 years of Independence … Lord help us🙏
The_Oracle 1 year, 10 months ago
Perhaps we should be grateful Freddy Isn't in charge, insofar as it seems he likes the style of rule in those countries........
shonkai 1 year, 10 months ago
More consulates, more spend, more budget, more power. Silly Fred.
tribanon 1 year, 10 months ago
Translation: Loyal senior Chinese Communist Party agents in The Bahamas, namely Mitchell and Davis, decide to really stick it to the American people for not respecting the rights of authoritarian regimes and the ruthless dictators who run them.
The_Oracle 1 year, 10 months ago
Sad that the U.S. govt cannot directly penalize Fred and Co for their dumb ass positions as opposed to penalizing the Bahamian people.
tribanon 1 year, 10 months ago
Let's just count ourselves fortunate that Fwreddy Boy Mitchell is a well known and well documented laughing stock within the diplomatic community, especially among senior U.S. diplomats. Like the Red China embassy officials stationed in The Bahamas, U.S. diplomats are always laughing at Fwreddy Boy behind his back, and rightfully so.
Trust me, unlike the voters in the Fox Hill constituency, in diplomatic circles they all know him to be nothing but a certifiable loony nut who is both despicable and spiteful. And most who come to know him, very quickly find out for themselves that he actually thinks of himself as God's gift to mankind. LOL
birdiestrachan 1 year, 10 months ago
Considering that Americans went to the capital shouting kill Mike Pence they should have second thoughts all is not well with American
Maximilianotto 1 year, 10 months ago
Dangerous game on thin ice. Will Venezuelan,Cuban, Nicaraguan tourists and property buyers replace the Americans? What about North Korea and China? Shopping in Pyongyang instead of Miami? That’s really a New Day. Venceremos!
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