Caracas Accuses Lima Group of Supporting Corruption, Dubs 'The Lima Cartel'

MEXICO CITY (Sputnik) - Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza has criticized the Lima Group countries, accusing them of law violations, in light of his Peruvian counterpart's suggestion that the Lima Group should sever diplomatic relations with Caracas.

"The Lima cartel: some governments have relation to drug trafficking or illegal armed gangs, other governments are so corrupt that their former presidents are imprisoned, many presidents [of the Lima Group countries] are under investigation," Arreaza wrote on his Twitter blog.

Earlier in the week, Peruvian Foreign Minister Nestor Popolizio said he planned to suggest that Lima Group countries cut off their diplomatic ties with Venezuela. According to the Peruvian top diplomat, the steps aimed at ending the "dictatorship" Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro will be discussed by the Lima Group at a meeting on December 19.

In November, the countries of the Lima Group agreed to grant the status of political refugees to Venezuelan officials seeking to receive asylum in these states. The alliance had also reportedly agreed to facilitate border crossing and recognition of educational certificates for Venezuelan citizens whose documents had expired.

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The Lima Group was formed in 2017 with an aim to settle the Venezuelan crisis and counter human rights violations in the country. Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Saint Lucia have agreed to scale back their diplomatic relations with Venezuela.