The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated that it will not recognize the new term of Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, despite the diplomatic threat made to the countries of the Lima Group, including Costa Rica, on Wednesday.

Maduro issued on Wednesday an ultimatum to the Lima Group countries, saying that if the bloc did not change its policy toward Caracas in the next 48 hours, the Venezuelan authorities would take “serious measures.”

“The members of ‘Lima сartel’ have 48 hours to fix their intervention policies, otherwise, we will take more serious and proactive measures that can be taken by the government to protect its sovereignty and democracy,” Maduro said at a press conference in Caracas.

#ANUNCIO | Pdte. @NicolasMaduro insta al Cartel de Lima a rectificar su postura contra el Gobierno Constitucional y Demócratico de Venezuela. “Tienes 48 horas, de lo contrario tomaremos las medidas diplomáticas correspondientes en defensa de nuestra soberanía e integridad”. pic.twitter.com/wrk1TzNeA6 — Cancillería ???????? (@CancilleriaVE) January 9, 2019

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The protest note was delivered by the Venezuelan Chancellor, Jorge Arreaza, to the Costa Rican Chargé d’affaires in Venezuela, Danilo González.

The Foreign Ministry said Costa Rica has not responded to the Maduro regime and is in a period of consultations with the Lima Group.

In addition, the Foreign Ministry announced in a press release that the country will not participate in today’s (Thursday) inauguration of Nicolás Maduro, as agreed jointly by the countries of the Lima Group, in the declaration issued last Friday.

In the press release, Costa Rica’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs reiterated its “strong commitment to democracy and human rights in Nicaragua and Venezuela.”

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The Lima Group last Friday considered illegitimate the electoral process in which Maduro was elected and issued a resolution requesting Maduro not to assume his 2019-2025 term of office and to transfer it to the National Assembly (NA) – parliament in contempt – to call new presidential elections.

However, the Maduro government rejected this and reiterated the legitimacy of the president’s new term.

The abovementioned presidential election took place in May 2018 when Maduro was re-elected (for a new six year term) as Venezuela’s leader, having received nearly 70 percent of the vote. However, his victory was not recognized by many countries of the world.

The Lima Group, comprising Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay and Peru, was formed in 2017 with an aim to settle the Venezuelan crisis and counter human rights violations in the country.

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“On the instructions of President Nicolás Maduro, Chancellor Jorge Arreaza delivers a note of protest to the countries of the Lima Group in repudiation of the interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela and pretending to tarnish our sovereignty, from Casa Amarilla,” the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry announced in social networks.

Por instrucciones del Pdte.@NicolasMaduro, canciller Jorge Arreaza entrega Nota de Protesta a los países del Grupo de Lima en repudio a la injerencia en los asuntos internos de Venezuela y pretender mancillar nuestra soberanía, desde Casa Amarilla#YoJuroConMaduro pic.twitter.com/FvBhtoJlhe — Cancillería ???????? (@CancilleriaVE) January 9, 2019

In addition to not recognizing Maduro’s new mandate, the Lima Group countries agreed not to give military and financial aid to Venezuela; they also established immigration restrictions for officials of the Maduro regime.

On Tuesday, Costa Rica’s new Foreign Minister, Manuel Ventura, indicated that with respect to these last measures, he will be discussing them with President Carlos Alvarado.

Ventura, who has worked for the last 37 years at the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), 12 of them as a judge, was one of the panelists who, at the request of the Organization of American States (OAS), denounced crimes against humanity in Venezuela.

Today (Jan. 10) the OAS has scheduled an extraordinary session of the Permanent Council to analyze the situation in Venezuela. This meeting was convened at the request of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the United States, Guatemala, Paraguay and Peru.

Costa Rica will be represented by the ambassador to the OAS, Monserrat Solano.