Jamaica and three other member states within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) , whose leaders met with United States President Donald Trump last week, have voted in favour of an Organisation of American States (OAS) resolution critical of the leadership of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The latest vote has again highlighted division within CARICOM on the Venezuelan crisis.
Jamaica, The Bahamas, Guyana, Haiti and St. Lucia voted in favour of the resolution that said Venezuela's closure of its borders with Brazil and Colombia has prevented the population from obtaining food, medicines, medical treatment, and educational opportunities.
Only the leader of Guyana was absent from the meeting with President Trump at his private residence in Miami last Friday.
Antigua and Barbuda, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines voted against the resolution adopted by the Permanent Council of the OAS on Wednesday, while Barbados, Belize, St. Kitts-Nevis, Suriname as well as Trinidad and Tobago abstained.
Dominica and Grenada were absent at the time of the vote.
The OAS said 19 countries, including the United States, voted in favour of the resolution, five against it, eight abstained, and two were absent.
This is the second time CARICOM countries have been divided at the OAS on the issue of Venezuela where the United States and its allies are pushing to remove President Maduro from office in favour of Opposition Leader Juan Guaido, who has since declared himself as the interim president of Venezuela.
In January, the OAS passed a resolution to not recognize President Maduro.
Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas, Guyana, and St. Lucia supported the resolution, while Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname voted against it.
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