UN Human Rights Council. File photo.
The United Nations Human Rights Council approved a resolution on Monday rejecting the imposition of unilateral coercive measures—euphemistically referred to as “sanctions”—against less developed nations.
This was reported on by Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil: “UN Human Rights Council adopts by majority a resolution that condemns the application and unilateral and continued execution of coercive measures as an instrument of pressure against any country, in particular against least developed countries and developing countries.”
33 votes were cast in favor, 13 against, and 1 member abstained. Those countries that voted against the resolution included the US and many of its vassal states in Europe. Those countries voting in favor of the resolution were largely developing nations. The US currently applies illegal coercive measures—sanctions not approved by the UN—against more than 40 countries, comprising about one-third of humanity’s population. Although it is difficult to quantify the precise extent to which these measures limit access to food and medical care for their targets, these illegal coercive economic measures have led to the deaths of millions of individuals. Venezuela has faced severe economic sanctions since 2015.
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“The resolution of the Human Rights Council highlights that unilateral coercive measures are contrary to international law, international humanitarian law, the charter and the norms and principles that regulate relations between States,” wrote Gil in another communication.
“The resolution, adopted by a resounding majority, expresses concern about the negative impact on human rights of widespread compliance and excessive compliance with unilateral coercive measures,” he added.
Gil specified that the document placed special emphasis on the impact of such coercive measures on human rights, affecting “disproportionately poor people and those in situations of maximum vulnerability.”
Likewise, he noted that according to the resolution “no state may make use or threaten to make use of economic or political measures, in order to coerce another state to obtain from it the subordination of the exercise of its sovereign rights.”
For this reason, the Gil pointed out that the resolution reaffirms “that each state has full sovereignty over all its wealth, its natural resources and its economic activity and freely exercises said sovereignty, in accordance with resolution 1803 of the General Assembly, approved in 1962.”
Finally, noted Minister Gil, “the resolution urges states to stop adopting, maintaining, applying or complying with economic, political or any other measures contrary to international law and to opt for dialogue and peaceful means to resolve conflicts or differences.”
For his part, the permanent representative of Venezuela to the UN Geneva, Héctor Constant Rosales, wrote: “Strong vote by UNHRC clearly rejecting the negative impact of illegal unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of Human Rights. The position of the European Union, as it insists on ignoring reality, is once again shameful”.
Votes in favor included Algeria, Argentina, Bangladesh, Benin, Bolivia, Cameroon, China, Chile, Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, Cuba, Eritrea, Gabon, Gambia, Honduras, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Nepal, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Senegal, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam.
The initiative was rejected by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Romania, Ukraine, the United Kingdom, and the United States, while Mexico abstained.
(Últimas Noticias) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/KW/SL
