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1 1 (October 3, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govbbgl0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional _____ ~Research Service lnforming the Iegislative debate since 1914 The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance and the Crisis in Venezuela Updated October 3, 2019 On September 11, 2019, the United States and 11 other Western Hemisphere countries invoked the Inter- American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty) to facilitate a regional response to the crisis in Venezuela. As a first step, on September 23, the countries that have ratified the treaty (states parties) agreed to impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities associated with the government of Nicolas Maduro. They also pledged to meet again within two months to discuss additional measures. Congress may closely track the deliberations, given their potential implications for U.S. policy. Background The Rio Treaty, which was signed in 1947 and entered into force in 1948, is a collective security pact among 19 of the 35 countries of the Western Hemisphere. The United States ratified the treaty in 1947 after the U.S. Senate provided its advice and consent. Article 3 of the treaty asserts than an armed attack by any State against an American State shall be considered as an attack against all American States, and it calls on each party to the treaty to assist in collective self-defense. Article 6 of the treaty, which was invoked in this case, empowers states parties to collectively respond to any other situation that might endanger the peace of the region. The treaty establishes a Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs as the principal forum through which states parties are to address collective security threats. Any treaty signatory may request such a meeting but must secure the votes of an absolute majority of parties to the treaty within the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States (OAS). On September 11, 2019, the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, and Paraguay supported a resolution calling a Meeting of Consultation to address the crisis in Venezuela. The interim Venezuelan government of Juan Guaid6, which is recognized by the OAS and rejoined the Rio Treaty in August 2019, also backed the resolution. Five other countries (Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, and Uruguay) abstained from the vote; the Bahamas was absent. Article 8 of the treaty authorizes states parties to engage in a variety of collective measures, such as breaking diplomatic and consular relations, restricting economic relations, and using armed force. A Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11116 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress