Amid unrest, Venezuela says it will withdraw from the Organization of American States

Anti-government protesters in Venezuela.
(Image credit: Juan Barreto/AFP/Getty Images)

The Venezuelan government is accusing the Organization of American States (OAS) of meddling in the country's affairs, and said it plans on leaving the Washington-based group as soon as possible.

The announcement came after the OAS voted to hold a meeting with foreign ministers to talk about the economic crisis and protests rocking Venezuela. Inflation is soon expected to reach 700 percent, and there is a shortage of food and medicine. Nearly 30 people have been killed during anti-government protests, including a demonstrator who was hit in the head by a tear gas canister Wednesday in Caracas.

The opposition is asking for early elections, and blames President Nicolas Maduro's socialist party for the country's woes; the government is blaming business elites. The Venezuelan government has also accused the United States of attempting to undermine Maduro's party, and Foreign Minister Delcy Rodriguez said the OAS is focusing on her country while ignoring what she called violations of democracy in Brazil, the BBC reports.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.