From Caribbean360

GEORGETOWN, Guyana, Wednesday February 19, 2014, CMC – The Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has expressed concern about the confrontations that have taken place in Venezuela over the past few days in the course of demonstrations.

In a statement deploring the deaths of at least four people arising from the resulting acts of violence, the regional body called for respect of the democratically elected government.

“In all democracies, citizens have the right to air their views and differences, however, this must be done within the constitutional framework and not through violent demonstrations. No democratic society can reasonably pursue disorder or any unwarranted subversion of democratic institutions,” said CARICOM in a statement issued on Tuesday.

CARICOM has called on all parties to take the necessary steps to refrain from any further action that would hinder a peaceful resolution of the differences and a return to peace and calm in the country.

On Tuesday, thousands of protestors flooded the streets of Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, after troops arrested opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez on charges of fomenting unrest against the government and violence that has killed at least four people.

The demonstrators blocked traffic in the streets of Caracas as a security vehicle holding the 42-year-old Harvard-educated economist crawled at a snail’s pace after he surrendered to security forces during an opposition rally.

It’s feared that Lopez’s arrest could galvanize the opposition and spur more street demonstrations against President Nicolas Maduro.

In a statement deploring the deaths of at least four people arising from the resulting acts of violence, CARICOM called for respect of the democratically elected Government. (Credit: presstv.ir)

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