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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Item Cover PageAGENDA ITEM COVER PAGE File ID: #5411 Resolution Sponsored by: Mayor Francis Suarez, Commissioner Wifredo Gort, Commissioner Ken Russell, Commissioner Joe Carollo, Commissioner Manolo Reyes, Commissioner Keon Hardemon A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION EXPRESSING FULL SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JUAN GUAIDO, WHO HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS THE INTERIM PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA AND JOINING THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES, THE EUROPEAN UNION, AND THE "GRUPO DE LIMA" IN THEIR RECOGNITION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE NON -RECOGNITION OF THE NICOLAS MADURO REGIME; FURTHER EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE AND CALLING FOR THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS NAMED HEREIN. City of Miami Legislation Resolution Enactment Number: R-19-0048 City Hall 3500 Pan American Drive Miami, FL 33133 www.miamigov.com File Number: 5411 Final Action Date:1/24/2019 A RESOLUTION OF THE MIAMI CITY COMMISSION EXPRESSING FULL SUPPORT FOR THE PRESIDENT OF THE VENEZUELAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, JUAN GUAIDO, WHO HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE UNITED STATES AND OTHER DEMOCRATIC COUNTRIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AS THE INTERIM PRESIDENT OF VENEZUELA AND JOINING THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES, THE EUROPEAN UNION, AND THE "GRUPO DE LIMA" IN THEIR RECOGNITION OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AUTHORITY OF THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY AND THE NON -RECOGNITION OF THE NICOLAS MADURO REGIME; FURTHER EXPRESSING SOLIDARITY WITH THE VENEZUELAN PEOPLE AND CALLING FOR THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA; DIRECTING THE CITY CLERK TO TRANSMIT A COPY OF THIS RESOLUTION TO THE OFFICIALS NAMED HEREIN. WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") is the flagship city and leader of all thirty-four (34) municipalities in Miami -Dade County in supporting human rights, freedom, and democracy throughout the Americas and beyond; and WHEREAS, on May 20, 2018, Venezuela held a presidential election in which just 25.8 percent of the Venezuelan electorate cast a vote; which failed to comply with international standards; was carried out without the necessary guarantees for a free, fair, transparent, and democratic process; and has been widely denounced as a sham; and WHEREAS, Venezuelans are currently experiencing a worsening political, economic, social, and humanitarian crisis resulting from the breakdown of democratic order and serious human rights violations in that state due to the narco-dictatorship of Venezuela; and WHEREAS, the United States, Canada, the European Union, the Organization of American States, and at least fourteen (14) Latin American countries have all disputed or characterized the election as illegitimate; and WHEREAS, in its role as the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people, the Venezuelan National Assembly invoked the country's constitution to declare Nicolas Maduro illegitimate and the office of the presidency vacant; and WHEREAS, as a consequence, the United States and other nations have recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela; and WHEREAS, on January 10, 2019, the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States ("OAS") agreed "to not recognize the legitimacy of Nicolas Maduro's new term as of the 10th of January of 2019" and instead recognized the constitutional authority of the democratically elected National Assembly; and WHEREAS, the European Union ("EU"), in denouncing Nicolas Maduro's new term declared that the May 20, 2018 presidential election was "neither free, nor fair," and stated that Maduro was "starting a new mandate on the basis of non -democratic elections"; and WHEREAS, the "Grupo de Lima," a multinational group with fourteen (14) member states, was established on August 8, 2017 to collectively find a peaceful solution to the crisis in Venezuela pronounced, among others, its condemnation of the breakdown of democracy in Venezuela and recognized the constitutional authority of the National Assembly as well; and WHEREAS, Venezuelans are being forced to flee the country because their basic needs have not been met including the collapse of the health-care system that has led to a reemergence of previously eradicated infectious diseases across the region; and WHEREAS, the City of Miami ("City") is home to many Venezuelans that have fled their beloved country because of the worsening political conditions in Venezuela and resulting collapse of the economy; and WHEREAS, the City Commission desires to express its solidarity with the people of Venezuela and wishes to join the OAS, the EU, and the "Grupo de Lima" in recognizing the constitutional authority of the National Assembly; and WHEREAS, the City Commission requests the Executive Director of the United States Conference of Mayors to transmit a copy of this Resolution to all participating cities and urge the member cities to support this Resolution; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI, FLORIDA: Section 1. The recitals and findings contained in the Preamble to this Resolution are adopted by reference and incorporated as if fully set forth in this Section. Section 2. The City Commission hereby expresses full support for the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, who has been recognized by the United States and other democratic countries throughout the world as the Interim President of Venezuela. Section 3. The City Commission further expresses solidarity with the Venezuelan people and calls for the re-establishment of democracy in Venezuela. Section 4. The City Clerk is hereby directed to transmit a copy of this Resolution to the Secretary General of the OAS, the EU, the fourteen (14) member states of the "Grupo de Lima," the United States Department of State, and the United States Conference of Mayors. Section 5. This Resolution shall become effective immediately upon adoption and signature of the Mayor. 1 If the Mayor does not sign this Resolution, it shall become effective at the end of ten (10) calendar days from the date it was passed and adopted. If the Mayor vetoes this Resolution, it shall become effective immediately upon override of the veto by the City Commission. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND CORRECTNESS: