Venezuela Asks International Labor Organization to Study Effects of Sanctions on Workers

The government of Venezuela held a meeting with representatives of the International Labor Organization (ILO), as part of the Social Dialogue Forum that is being hosted in Caracas during April 25-28.

Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez urged the ILO representatives to start an investigation regarding the economic hardships endured by countries on which unilateral coercive measures have been imposed by the US with the association of its Western allies.

Rodríguez stated that the investigation should ask: “What happens to sanctioned workers in those countries? How does the blockade affect employers and employees? How can tripartite dialogue help to mitigate and lessen the effects and strengthen the capacity of resilience of a blockaded country?”

Vice President Rodríguez mentioned, as an example, that in 2008 Venezuela had an income of $65.607 billion, by 2013 it was $52.609 billion, and in 2020, as a result of the blockade, the income came down to just $743 million.

She explained that wages have been considerably affected by the sanctions. When Venezuela had a significant income, it was able to meet the Millennium Goals in advance, as was recognized by multilateral organizations that monitor education, food, health and housing.

Positive figures
The Social Dialogue Forum has been attended by more than 150 representatives from the private sector, as well as industrial federations, unions and labor movements, which will evaluate the agreements reached by the ILO and the Venezuelan government.

During the forum, Vice President Rodríguez showcased statistics that demonstrate how Venezuela is undergoing economic and social recovery amid the aggressive coercive measures imposed and maintained by the United States and Europe.

“Venezuela’s numbers were always well above those of the group of targeted countries,” Rodríguez said. “This is mainly thanks to the workers with whom we have jointly found a way to reinvent Venezuela in terms of production and health.”

Work and cooperation
Guy Ryder, the director general of the ILO, participated at the Forum via video conference, and congratulated the organizers of the Forum and ratified ILO’s permanent contact with the Venezuelan Ministry for the Social Process of Labor (MPPPST).

Ryder declared, “I am pleased that your government has reiterated its willingness to comply with the decisions of ILO’s governing body, as well as the agreement to hold a tripartite cooperation agreements forum between Venezuela and the ILO.”

Featured image: Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, speaks at the Social Dialogue Forum. Photo: RedRadioVE.

(RedRadioVE) by José Manuel Blanco Díaz

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/GMS/SC/EF