Venezuela, eight other countries lose voting rights at UN General Assembly

Venezuela has lost its voting rights at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, according to Sharon Birch, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, Report informs.

According to her, the matter is regulated by Article 19 of the UN Charter. Under this provision, a member state loses its voting rights if its arrears equal or exceed the amount of contributions due for the previous two full years, the spokesperson noted.

Birch emphasized that the key criterion is not just late payment, but the absence of any payments over two years.

She stated that if a country makes partial payments, they are applied to the oldest debts, which can preserve voting rights. Exceptions may be granted if a state proves that its inability to pay is due to circumstances beyond its control, she added.

The issue was also reflected in a letter sent by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the Assembly President on February 17, 2025, during the 11th emergency special session.

The letter noted that nine member states are currently in arrears under Article 19: Afghanistan, Bolivia, Cabo Verde, Congo, Ecuador, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Venezuela. To restore voting rights, these countries must make minimum payments to reduce their arrears below the threshold of two years' worth of contributions.

For Venezuela, the minimum payment required is $115,702,476. The Assembly has granted São Tomé and Príncipe a temporary exception allowing it to retain voting rights, but no such exemption applies to Venezuela.