CP/RES. 881 (1478/05)

SUPPORT FOR THE CONSTITUTIONAL GOVERNMENT OF BELIZE

 (Adopted at its session held on April 27, 2005)

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the presentation by the Permanent Representative of Belize on the political events and social developments affecting that country and its constitutional Government;

DEEPLY CONCERNED by the events that have taken place in that country, and by acts that jeopardize the economic security of the State, undermine democracy and the full enjoyment of the fundamental rights of citizens and affect the personal security of the people of Belize by depriving them of essential services including water, electricity and communications;

CONSIDERING that the OAS Charter recognizes that representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the stability, peace, and development of the region;

BEARING IN MIND that, in view of the problems of development and poverty, it is important to maintain macroeconomic equilibrium and imperative to strengthen social cohesion and the democratic order;

ACKNOWLEDGING that the Government of Belize has been engaged in an ongoing process of dialogue and consultation with all sectors of society;

RECALLING that the Inter-American Democratic Charter recognizes that representative democracy is strengthened and deepened by permanent, ethical, and responsible participation of the citizenry within a legal framework conforming to the respective constitutional order; and,

RECALLING ALSO that article 1 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter states “the peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it”,

RESOLVES:

1. To express its full and decisive support for the constitutional Government of Belize led by Prime Minister Said W. Musa, and for the democratic institutions in Belize.

2. To condemn the use of violence and any actions that threaten democracy, governance and the rule of law in Belize and to reiterate its categoric rejection of any action that disrupts the democratic order.

3. To reaffirm that the constitutional subordination of all state institutions to the legally constituted civilian authority and that respect for the constitution and the rule of law on the part of all institutions and sectors of society are essential elements of democracy.

4. To support the call for a national dialogue aimed at strengthening the democratic institutions in Belize and fostering the economic and social development of the Belizean people, and to urge all sectors of Belizean society to engage in that dialogue.