Credit: unspokesmantwitter.com /      Secretary-General’s meeting with H.E. Mr. Jorge Arreaza, (Left) Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Feb. 22, 2019  UN Headquarters New York.

By Gary Raynaldo    DIPLOMATIC TIMES

U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo flew into New York City on Thursday and called on the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres for a meeting that was essentially unannounced to the press. The U.N. chief and President Trump’s Secretary of State held a meeting at the world body’s NY headquarters in which they “discussed ongoing events in Venezuela, as well as the importance of parties in Yemen beginning redeployments in Hudaydah,” according to State. The  U.N. Secretary General’s spokesman threw us reporters a small bone with a prepared statement that pretty much mirrored that  of the  State Department, saying Guterres and Pompeo  “discussed the situation in Yemen, in particular the implementation of the Stockholm Agreement and the importance of the parties to begin phase 1 of the redeployment from Hudaydah. They also discussed the situation in Venezuela and the region.”  Us reporters are left to speculate on the meat and potatoes substance that was discussed at the their meeting. Let’s add some context. The last time Pompeo was at the  United Nations was on Jan. 26, 2019, when he urged the UN Security Council to stand for freedom or back the regime of Nicholas Maduro in Venezuela, after opposition leader Juan Guaidó declared himself interim president on January 23, 2019.  Since then, the U.N. Secretary General continued to meet with Maduro’s Diplomatic representative in New York, Jorge Alberto Arreaza, Minister of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, despite Trump administration opposition.  The two diplomats have met twice since last month. 

Credit: UN Photo Evan Schneider /  Pompeo addresses the Security Council meeting on Non-proliferation. 12 December 2018 New York.

So,  here was Mr. Pompeo back in New York on Thursday Feb. 21, 2019 at a meeting that  he called with the UNSG Guterres that was closed to the press.  It is obvious Venezuela was top on the agenda. Venezuela is in a crisis situation with border tensions rising amid a showdown on deliveries of humanitarian aid this weekend.  President Maduro said the border with Colombia is partly closed to stop aid being delivered.  The next day, Secretary-General Guterres met with  Maduro’s  Venezuela Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza.

“They discussed the situation in Venezuela and in the region. The Secretary-General urged the Venezuelan authorities not to use lethal force against demonstrators. The Secretary-General said that the UN will continue to act in accordance with the humanitarian principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence, working with Venezuelan institutions, to assist people in need.”

U.N. Secretary General Statement Feb. 22, 2019.

 

VENEZUELA HUMANITARIAN AID SHOWDOWN  FEB. 23, 2019 AMID RISING TENSIONS 

Credit: uk guardian.com /AP / Concert goers  unfurl a large Venezuelan flag during the Venezuela Aid Live concert Feb. 23, 2019 on the Colombian side of Tienditas International Bridge near Cúcuta, Colombia. Photograph: Fernando Vergara/AP

 Venezuela braced for violence after clashes early on Friday leave two dead and 15 injured: UK Guardian The US urged the armed forces to allow humanitarian aid to pass peacefully into the country, the day before supporters of presidential challenger Juan Guaidó plan to challenge the authority of Caracas by trying to ship food and medical donations into the country.