WASHINGTON, June 5 (Xinhua) -- The Organization of American States (OAS) on Tuesday passed a resolution to call an extraordinary assembly to vote on suspension of Venezuela's membership.
The resolution was passed as 19 member states of the OAS general assembly voted in favor, four against and 11 abstained.
In response, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza said Venezuela rejected the assembly's decision that would enable the United States to continue its "economic war" and "military intervention" against President Nicolas Maduro's socialist government.
However, Venezuela said last year that it had started a two-year process to pull out of the OAS.
Maduro was sworn in to a second term last month after winning the reelection by a wide margin. His term will conclude in 2025.
U.S. Vice President Mike Pence last month urged the group's member states to suspend Venezuela from this body.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo repeated Pence's demand in his remarks at the general assembly earlier on Monday, and also urged the group "to apply additional pressure on the Maduro regime, including sanctions and further diplomatic isolation."
After Maduro's re-election, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order banning U.S. individuals or entities within the United States from purchasing any debt owed to the Venezuelan government.
Last year in Cancun, the General Assembly did not got enough votes to pass a proposal calling on the Venezuelan government to reconsider its call for an assembly to re-write the constitution and to respect the separation of powers.
OAS members have expelled only two nations in its history.
Cuba was forced out in 1962 and Honduras was suspended briefly following a 2009 military coup.
The ban of Cuba was lifted in 2009, but the island country rejected rejoining the organization.
