Center's Latin American rep. slams Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezuela for failing to condemn Libya's violent crackdown on popular uprising.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega with Muammar Gaddafi 311 (photo credit: AP)ByASSOCIATED PRESSCARACAS, Venezuela — Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi's allies in Latin America should follow Peru's example and suspend diplomatic relations with the North African nation's regime, the representative of a leading Jewish organization said Friday.Sergio Widder, the Latin American representative of the Simon Wiesenthal Center, strongly criticized the governments of Nicaragua, Cuba and Venezuela for failing to condemn Gaddafi's violent crackdown on a popular uprising.RELATED:Nicaragua president calls Gaddafi to expresses support'Zorba the Greek' composer: I’m anti-Semitic"Solidarity with a dictator who has been in power for more than four decades and is massacring his own people is shameful and criminal," Widder said in a statement. "We welcome the decision by Peru's president, Alan Garcia, to break off relations with the Libyan regime.""It's an offense for the victims of Latin American dictatorships," Widder added.Peru's government announced this week that it was suspending diplomatic relations with Libya to protest the violence unleashed by Gaddafi.Click for full Jpost coverage of turmoil in the Middle EastPeru's government announced in a statement that it would also ask the UN Security Council to establish an exclusion zone in Libyan airspace "to prevent the use of that country's warplanes against (its) population."Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega offered support for Gaddafi, saying he had telephoned to express solidarity. Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro said the unrest may be a pretext for an invasion of Libya by members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization — a step that NATO has ruled out.Venezuela's Hugo Chavez has neither condemned nor defended Gaddafi's crackdown, but his failure to take a stand has prompted strong criticism from his political opponents at home.In a Twitter message Thursday, Chavez said: "Viva Libya and its independence! Gaddafi is facing a civil war."It was the first time that Chavez has publicly referred to the violence in Libya.See more onWiesenthal CenterRECOMMENDED STORIESIsrael likely kills Khamenei's top advisor, Over 200 Israelis wounded in Iranian attacksJUNE 14, 2025IDF says aircraft operating in heart of Tehran, denies claim Iran shot down fighter jetJUNE 14, 2025Tehran under fire: IDF continues strikes in Iran, focusing on the capital – what was hit?JUNE 14, 2025The road to Tehran has been paved: IDF secures air route for stronger strikes on IranJUNE 14, 2025