OAS chief to Venezuela: I am not a CIA agent

The head of the influential Organization of American States defended himself against Venezuelan accusations that he’s part of a ploy to topple embattled Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

Luis Almagro, the OAS secretary-general, declared Wednesday that he’s not an agent of the CIA, and he called Maduro a traitor who had betrayed his people

“But you are, President, a betrayer of your people with your rants and supposed ideology without content,” Almagro said in a letter Wednesday. “You are a traitor of the ethics of politics with your lies and betrayal of the sacred political principles, which is to submit to the scrutiny of your people.”

Almagro’s strong rebuke was in response to comments Maduro had made charging Almagro with working with opposition forces.

“He’s been a traitor for some time,” Maduro said to international media Tuesday. “Sometime, I’ll tell you his history. I know his secrets.”

The back and forth is the latest in what seems like a never-ending boxing match with each powerful leader landing different blows. It began last year when Maduro called Almagro a “piece of garbage” after the Uruguayan diplomat accused the Venezuelan president of stifling political dissent, manipulating the media and blocking opposition leaders from running for office.

Maduro is under intense pressure. Protests erupted over the weekend after he declared a state of emergency, giving himself decree powers to intervene in the economy and protect national sovereignty.

Government opponents have turned in petitions containing as many as 1.85 million signatures demanding that Maduro face a recall referendum, and shortly afterward a delegation of opposition leaders from Venezuela’s National Assembly traveled to Washington to ask OAS officials to invoke the organization’s Democratic Charter, which sets standards for government behavior.

When Venezuelan Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez addressed the OAS earlier this month, she accused Almagro of working with the United States to try to topple the Maduro government.

“This is part of the ongoing and relentless aggression by the United States against Venezuela,” Rodriguez said.

The United States has grown increasingly concerned about Venezuela’s growing shortages of basic goods such as food and medicine and the limited space the government has allowed for opposition voices. U.S. officials cite Maduro’s moves to limit the power of the opposition-led National Assembly.

In his letter, Almagro demanded that Maduro return power to the National Assembly, which was elected by the people. He also urged Maduro to end his people’s suffering from the lack of food. Others are dying because of the lack of medicine, he said.

“You must return political prisoners to their families,” Almagro said.

This story was originally published May 18, 2016 at 4:47 PM with the headline "OAS chief to Venezuela: I am not a CIA agent."