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1 1 (May 14, 2019)

handle is hein.crs/govzrh0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional _____ ~Research Service Informing the Iegislative debate since 1914 The Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance and the Crisis in Venezuela May 14, 2019 Recent press reports suggest that the Trump Administration and some Latin American governments have discussed invoking the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance (Rio Treaty) to facilitate a collective response to the crisis in Venezuela. Doing so could provide a basis for multilateral intervention, but it is unclear if parties to the treaty (states parties) would support such an effort. Congress may assess the implications of invoking the treaty as it considers legislative initiatives to require, authorize, or constrain certain Administration actions regarding Venezuela (such as H.R. 920, H.R. 1477, S. 1025, H.R. 1004, and S.J.Res. 11). Background The Rio Treaty, which was signed in 1947 and entered into force in 1948, is a collective security pact among 17 of the 35 nations of the Western Hemisphere (including the United States). In some respects, it mirrors the North Atlantic Treaty that created NATO. Like NATO's Article V, the Rio 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 through a range of actions, potentially including, but not limited to, military force. It also 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). The Permanent Council, chaired by the United States through June 30, 2019, may act provisionally as an organ of consultation under the treaty until a Meeting of Consultation is held. The treaty authorizes states parties to engage in a variety of collective measures, such as recalling ambassadors, breaking diplomatic and consular relations, restricting economic relations, and using armed force. A Meeting of Consultation may adopt such measures with the votes of two-thirds of states parties. Any parties directly involved in the situation under consideration are excluded from voting. Decisions are binding on all states parties, with the exception of the use of armed force. Congressional Research Service https://crsreports.congress.gov IN11116 CRS INSIGHT Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress