A senior State Department official said Wednesday that the Biden office is doubtful to invite the presidents of Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba to the next Meeting of the Americas while avoiding concerns about Venezuela's opposition leader's potential role at the continental summit.
Assistant Secretary of State Brian Nichols told reporters that the forum, which will be held in Los Angeles at beginning of June, will concentrate on protecting human rights and democracy in the Western Hemisphere, as well as inconsistent migration, climate change, and attempts to guarantee equitable development as the region recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The leading U.S. leaders in the Western World said invitations have yet to be forwarded, but predicted that neither Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega, nor Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel would be invited because they are considered authoritarian by most of the region's countries.
He stated, "They're not likely to be there."
When pushed, Nichols would only indicate that a judgment would be taken "immediately" on whether resistance leader Juan Guaidó, whom the U.S. recognized as Venezuela's official ruler in 2019, would be invited.
"Who is welcomed will be determined by the White House," Nichols said.
The mystery surrounding Guaidó's position arises as the Biden administration takes preliminary measures to re-engage the Maduro government, as Nichols put it.
Last March, three senior U.S. officials, including the National Security Agency's Juan Gonzalez, traveled covertly to Caracas to speak with Maduro.
The visit was spurred in part by U.S. National Defense worries that have resurfaced in the aftermath of Russia's assault on Ukraine, rekindling interest in Venezuela, a close Russian associate with the world's greatest petroleum resources.
Maduro responded by releasing two American detainees and vowing to resume talks with his adversaries. The backchanneling, however, has yet to yield any tangible outcomes, despite condemnation from hardliner refugees and even some Democrats.
When questioned whether hosting Guaidó will help or impede the United States' goal of bringing Maduro back to the bargaining table with his opponents, Nichols replied the U.S. remains committed to doing so.
He went on to say that the democratic status in Venezuela is a topic that they will undoubtedly discuss and address at the summit, but that the public should exercise patience as they wait for the White House to make a decision on how the summons will be handled.
