Venezuela Announces Withdrawal From OAS

The Venezuelan foreign minister announced the country will withdraw from the Organization of American States (OAS) after it voted to call an emergency meeting of foreign ministers without Caracas' approval.

Venezuela will trigger the process of withdrawing from the Organization of American States (OAS) after the bloc voted to call an urgent meeting on it, Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said Wednesday.

"At the order of President Nicolas Maduro, we will present tomorrow a letter of denunciation to the OAS and begin a [departure] process that will take 24 months," Rodriguez said in a televised speech broadcast by a state TV channel.

The OAS Permanent Council voted earlier on Wednesday to call an emergency meeting of its foreign ministers over the crisis in Venezuela despite Caracas' objections. The decision was passed by 19 votes to 10, with four abstentions and...