The Foreign Ministers of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, gathered in New York, on 20 September 2017, following up on the Declaration adopted in Lima:
1. Reaffirm the contents and the full force of the Lima Declaration and their commitment to redouble their efforts to achieve a peaceful and negotiated solution to the crisis in Venezuela.
2. Regret the continued rupture of democratic order in Venezuela, as the Venezuelan government violates constitutional rules, the will of the people and Inter-American values; suppresses political dissent; keeps political prisoners, and violates human rights and fundamental freedoms of individuals.
3. Condemn the repression and political persecution in Venezuela, including the National Constituent Assembly's decision to prosecute opposition leaders for "treason against the motherland."
4. Acknowledge the contribution and share the concern of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed in the report captioned "Human rights violations and abuses in the context of protests in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela from 1 April to 31 July 2017."
5. Reaffirm their full support for and solidarity with the democratically-elected National Assembly, as well as their commitment to enforce their non-recognition of the acts of the National Constituent Assembly and to continue with the application of the Inter-American Democratic Charter to Venezuela.
6. Reiterate their willingness to help create, in coordination with international organizations and other countries, an aid channel to address the humanitarian crisis that afflicts the country.
7. Acknowledge the initiative of the Dominican Republic to bring together the Venezuelan government and opposition, as well as the decision of both parties to invite several countries to accompany the process. In this regard, they reiterate that in order to achieve a positive outcome, the encounters must be conducted in good faith, with clear rules, goals and deadlines, and guarantees of compliance, for which international support is essential.
8. Reaffirm their commitment to keep a close watch on the situation in Venezuela at the level of Foreign Ministers until democratic order has been fully restored there and, to that end, to meet next October in Canada.
Press release No. 426/17
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