Peru to host int’l meeting on Venezuela in August

By Susana Patricia Noguera Montoya

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Peru invited 100 countries including Turkey, Russia, and to join a meeting on political unrest in Venezuela next month.

The representatives of Venezuelan government and the opposition were not invited to the meeting set to be held in Lima on August 6 to "prevent polarization", said Peru's Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio Wednesday at a press conference.

The presence of Venezuelan opposition at the last week's summit of the Organization of American States (OAS) -- dominated by the political crisis of the South American country --caused tension between the member states.

Uruguay withdrew from the summit, citing the "illegitimate presence" of the opposition. The Mexican and Bolivian delegations also voiced concern over the body's controversial decision to invite the Venezuelan opposition as the official representatives of the country.

The August meeting aims to discuss "the best way to restore democracy in Venezuela," said Popolizio. It will also address the impact of the massive migration of Venezuelans to neighboring countries.

In 2017, Peru -- that has been active in the global arena about the socio-political crisis in Venezuela for years, founded the Lima Group, with a hope for a solution to the crisis, but so far no significant progress has been made.

Peru decided to hold a meeting on Venezuelan crisis during the last meeting of the bloc of 12 Latin American countries in Chile in April.

The invitations were offered to the foreign ministers of the countries at a time when the U.S.-backed opposition in Venezuela was losing momentum to change the regime in the oil-rich country.

Political unrest has been ongoing between President Nicolas Maduro and opposition leader Juan Guaido since Jan. 10.

Tensions escalated when Guaido declared himself acting president days later, a move supported by the U.S. and many European and Latin American countries.

Russia, Turkey, China, Iran, Bolivia and Mexico have thrown their weight behind Maduro.

*Writing and contribution by Beyza Binnur Donmez from Ankara