Venezuela to pull out of OAS regional block: President

By Lokman İlhan

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Venezuela will withdraw from Organization of American States (OAS), President Nicolas Maduro confirmed Thursday.

“As a president, I gave the necessary instructions for the immediate withdrawal of Venezuela from OAS,” Maduro announced on his twitter account.

“We are fed up with violation of legitimacy and intervening harassments. No one can stray us from the real independence. I urge everybody, both civil and military, to struggle for independence and peace,” he added.

OAS is a regional bloc founded in 1948 with a purpose of promoting regional solidarity and cooperation among its member states.

Speaking on national television Wednesday evening, Foreign Minister Delcy Rodríguez had said the president would give formal notice regarding Venezuela’s plans to renounce its OAS membership.

Meanwhile, OAS delegates, Mexico, Brazil, the U.S. and other 13 countries are expected to meet to discuss the proposal of an emergency meeting with the attendance of foreign ministers to deliberate on Venezuela’s case.

Earlier this month, the opposition has organized seven protests to demand early elections to replace Maduro. They accuse the president of eroding democracy.

Thousands of Venezuelans marched on central Caracas on Wednesday in a protest against the government.

According to the Attorney General Ortaga Diaz, the current wave of protests have left 26 people including four minor dead, more than 400 injured and 300 detained.