The undersigned countries, meeting in Santo Domingo de Guzmán make a strong appeal for wisdom and restraint in Venezuela. At this decisive juncture for Venezuela and the region, all social and political actors must exercise the utmost restraint in their public actions.

Acceptance and respect for the dignity and integrity of all individuals are the essential principles upon which the peaceful coexistence in our societies is built. We urge for the respect of democratic principles, as well as the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all Venezuelans, particularly the freedom of peaceful assembly and the freedom of expression. We are concerned that this reality currently does not exist in Venezuela. Reports of arbitrary detentions of Venezuelans without due process are alarming, and therefore we urgently call for their immediate release.

We express our deep condemnation of the repression of protesters and the violence that has claimed the lives of many Venezuelans in the post-election context. We urgently call on Venezuelan authorities to end the violence and release all those who have been detained, including opposition representatives.

Furthermore, we request the immediate return of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to Venezuela, and call on Venezuela to ensure the necessary conditions for it to fully carry out its mandate.

In addition, we call on Venezuela, as a state party to the Caracas Convention on Diplomatic Asylum of 1954, to comply with its provision by issuing the safe passage that will allow the six asylum seekers currently residing in the official residence of the Republic of Argentina to safely leave Venezuelan territory.

We take note of the preliminary report by the United Nations Expert Panel on the presidential election in Venezuela which indicates that the National Electoral Council (CNE) of Venezuela has yet to present the electoral records that substantiate the validity of the results announced on August 2. It should also be noted that a digital version of more than 80% of the electoral records has been published, which shows a different outcome than that reported by the CNE.

Consequently, we request the immediate publication of all original records and the impartial and independent verification of those results, preferably by an international entity, to ensure respect for the will of the Venezuelan people as expressed at the polls. Any delay in this process calls into question the August 2, 2024, official proclamation.

Our nations have previously appealed for peaceful dialogue and negotiations to resolve serious conflicts. Now more than ever, Venezuela must honor that legacy to restore peaceful coexistence, public safety and political stability, which according to accounts by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela of the UN Human Rights Council, are being threatened by the Venezuelan security authorities.

The current situation calls for a broad, inclusive, and good-faith dialogue to facilitate a political agreement that fosters national reconciliation, peace, public security and democracy in Venezuela.

We are committed to supporting all efforts in this direction, and always advocating for a genuinely Venezuelan solution in which democracy and justice, and peace and security will prevail.

"THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

REAFFIRMING the essential purpose of the Organization of American States to promote and consolidate representative democracy, with due respect for the principle of non-intervention, as expressed in Article 2(b) of the Charter of the Organization;

NOTING WITH CONCERN reports of serious irregularities and violence related to the electoral process in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, following the elections held on July 28, 2024;

REAFFIRMING that maintaining social peace and protecting human life and fundamental freedoms must be a priority; and

RECALLING the agreements reached by the political parties of Venezuela in the Comprehensive and Incremental Dialogue Process of the Memorandum of Understanding signed in Mexico City on August 13, 2021, as well as the Partial Agreement on the Promotion of Political Rights and Electoral Guarantees for All signed in Barbados on October 17, 2023,

To recognize the substantial and peaceful participation of the Venezuelan electorate in the elections held on July 28, 2024.

To insist with the utmost firmness that the respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, the right to life, liberty, and personal security, especially the right to peaceful assembly and the full exercise of civil and political rights without reprisals, the right not to be subjected to arbitrary detention or imprisonment, and the right to a fair trial, be an absolute priority and obligation for Venezuela as well as for all the States of the Americas.

To call on all interested parties, political and social actors, including the authorities in Venezuela, to refrain from any conduct that could compromise the construction of a peaceful resolution to this crisis, respecting the sovereign will of the Venezuelan electorate.

To request that the authorities of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela protect diplomatic facilities and resident personnel in Venezuelan territory, including individuals seeking asylum in these facilities, in accordance with international law, particularly the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations.

To highlight the importance of protecting and preserving all equipment used in the electoral process, including all printed records and results, to safeguard the entire chain of custody of the voting process.

To urge the National Electoral Council of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to: (a) promptly publish the records with the voting results of the presidential elections at the level of each polling station, and (b) respect the fundamental principle of popular sovereignty through an impartial verification of the results that guarantees the transparency, credibility, and legitimacy of the electoral process.

To express solidarity with the Venezuelan people and commit to remaining attentive to the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela."