In a letter to Senator George LeMieux (R-Fl.), Bernardo Álvarez, ambassador of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the U.S., strongly rejected his call that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton ask that the Organization of American States (OAS) invoke the Inter-American Democratic Charter against Venezuela.
“There is no need to have the Inter-American Democratic Charter ‘invoked’ against Venezuela. In fact, that you propose such a move indicates that you still seem to view the region as the U.S.’s ‘backyard’ and regional organizations like the OAS as a ministry of the colonies that should blindly acquiesce to U.S. demands,” wrote Ambassador Álvarez.
In the letter, Ambassador Álvarez noted that Venezuela is a vibrant democracy, having held 14 national elections since 1998. “The media remains overwhelmingly privately owned and completely free to report and editorialize, which they do without reservation,” noted the Ambassador in the letter.
Additionally, he explained, the Venezuelan government has overseen a dramatic decrease in poverty, social exclusion, and inequality. “From 1999 to 2009, extreme poverty fell from 20.2 percent to seven percent, while poverty dropped from 42 percent to 21 percent. Over the last decade, $330 billion, or 60 percent of all revenues, have gone towards vital social programs.”
“Democracy and human rights in Venezuela remain strong and well-protected, and there is no need for intervention by the U.S., the OAS, or any other agency or institution,” wrote Ambassador Álvarez.
In response to specific cases cited by Senator LeMieux’s in his letter, Ambassador Álvarez stated that those cases involve individuals that broke Venezuelan laws, and they cannot avoid the consequences by using their political activism as an excuse.
According to the ambassador, the timing of this letter also reveals its political motivations, as it comes during the same week when the government of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe falsely accused Venezuela of harboring Colombian guerilla groups once again. “This is all part of the same media and political campaign against a democratic government that has chosen an independent path,” emphasized the Ambassador.
See the letter here.
Press and Communications Office of the Embassy of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the U.S. / July 22, 2010
