U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo demanded Monday the Organization of American States suspend Venezuela from the group until it restores constitutional order in the aftermath of what the United States says was the "sham" re-election last month of President Nicolas Maduro.
Pompeo accused the Maduro government of a "full-scale dismantling of democracy" and told the 34-nation Western Hemisphere group that Venezuela was in the midst of a "heart-breaking humanitarian disaster." Pompeo renewed a call last month by Vice President Mike Pence that Caracas be suspended from the group.
"We seek only what all the nations of the OAS want for our people: A return to the constitutional order, free and fair elections with international observation, and the release of political prisoners," Pompeo said.
"That suspension is not a goal onto itself, but it would show the OAS backs up its words with action and it will send a powerful signal to the Maduro regime," Pompeo said. "Only real elections will allow your government to be included in the family of nations."
In addition, the top U.S. diplomat called for OAS countries "to apply additional pressure on the Maduro regime, including sanctions and further diplomatic isolation, until such time as it undertakes the actions necessary to return genuine democracy."
Pompeo said, "The Maduro regime's efforts to move toward an unconstitutional government and its human rights abuses are now well known by all. All these actions have, among other ill consequences, resulted in an unconstitutional alteration of Venezuela's constitutional order."
The OAS response to the U.S. demand was not immediately clear.
In order to suspend Venezuela, the OAS would have to convene an extraordinary general assembly session of its members, beyond the current regular session. Member countries also could refuse to recognize the result of the May 20 election, setting the stage for further action against the Maduro government.
After Pompeo's attack, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza accused the United States of violating international law.
"The aggression against Venezuela is brutal, it's economic, it's financial, it's commercial, it's political, it's media, and we are going to press on and we will triumph," Arreaza said. "No government has the moral authority to recognize or not our government."
Maduro has called the OAS a pawn of U.S. foreign policy and last year said he would pull Venezuela out of the organization, a two-year process started a year ago April.
Even as Maduro has begun to free opponents jailed after violent anti-government protests last year, critics say about 300 are still being detained on what the opposition says are trumped-up charges intended to stifle dissent.
