Grupo IDEA warns Venezuela's democratic future is tested by tragedy

A group of 33 former leaders from Ibero-America has issued a joint manifesto expressing profound solidarity with the Venezuelan people in the wake of devastating earthquakes. The signatories, members of the Initiative for Democracy in Spain and the Americas (Grupo IDEA), warned that the scale of the tragedy poses a significant test for Venezuela's democratic future.

The manifesto, signed by figures including former presidents Felipe Calderón of Mexico, Iván Duque of Colombia, and Mauricio Macri of Argentina, explicitly rejected limitations imposed by interim government authorities on survivor search and rescue protocols. The former leaders underscored the crucial humanitarian aid provided by over 20 nations in the immediate aftermath of the tremors.

"We ask cooperating governments for sincere and loyal discernment between the laws of humanity and the needs of the population that may be affected by kleptocracy or the diversion of resources," the document states. The group also condemned restrictions placed on opposition leader María Corina Machado, preventing her from joining her compatriots. This action was taken in response to the suspension of commercial flights to and from Maiquetía by the interim government, a measure scheduled to be lifted shortly after the report.

Grupo IDEA members consider the democratic legitimacy strengthened in Venezuela's 2024 presidential elections as the foundation for the country's social and economic reconstruction. The statement reflects deep concern over the nation's stability and democratic trajectory amidst ongoing crises.

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We ask cooperating governments for sincere and loyal discernment between the laws of humanity and the needs of the population that may be affected by kleptocracy or the diversion of resources.