Exclusive: U.S. threatens to derail meeting of Latam lender if China bars Venezuela

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

MARCH 21, 2019 / 5:26 PM / UPDATED 6 HOURS AGO
Lesley Wroughton, Roberta Rampton
4 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Thursday threatened to pull out of the annual meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank in China next week if Beijing refuses to allow a representative of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to attend.

The Washington-based IADB, the biggest lender to Latin America, voted last week to replace Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro’s board representative with Harvard economist Ricardo Hausmann, who is backed by Guaido.

Several sources familiar with the situation told Reuters that China - one of the Venezuelan government’s few remaining international allies - had proposed not inviting representatives from either the Maduro or Guaido camps to “de-politicize” the meeting.

Discussions to try to resolve the issue are ongoing among IADB member countries, and a final decision has not yet been taken, the sources said. China’s embassy in DC was not immediately available to comment on the issue.



Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-china-iadb-exclusi/exclusive-u-s-threatens-to-derail-meeting-of-latam-lender-if-china-bars-venezuela-idUSKCN1R22LS?rpc=401&

[Roy Rolling]

1. If Venezuela has no government...

...or if the government is in chaos, then don't invite either person. Recognizing the opposition leader is a bit presumptive, and it seems reasonable for the host country to exercise its option to not invite.

[louseb]

2. Seems like there's a grown up kid in the room

The Chinese is taking the high road with its neutral stand. I wonder if they stick with it.

[Eugene]

3. IADB cancels China meeting after Beijing bars Venezuela representative

Source: Reuters

BUSINESS NEWS MARCH 22, 2019 / 5:03 PM / UPDATED 13 MINUTES AGO

Exclusive: IADB cancels China meeting after Beijing bars Venezuela representative

Lesley Wroughton, Roberta Rampton
3 MIN READ

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Inter-American Development Bank on Friday called off next week’s meeting of its 48 member countries in China after Beijing refused to allow a representative of Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido to attend, two sources with knowledge of the decision said.

The sources said the decision was made in Washington on Friday at a meeting of the executive board of the IADB, Latin America’s largest development lender, after China refused to change its position.

The sources said the board would vote within 30 days to reschedule the annual meeting for another date and location.

On Thursday, the United States threatened to derail the March 26-31 meeting unless Beijing granted a visa to Guaido’s representative, Harvard economist Ricardo Hausmann. The meeting, slated to bring together finance and development ministers from the lender’s members, was meant to mark the bank’s 60th anniversary.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-venezuela-politics-china-iadb-exclusi/exclusive-iadb-cancels-china-meeting-after-beijing-bars-venezuela-representative-idUSKCN1R32NU

[allgood33]

4. So, is China going to allow Trump to run their country too? nt