OAS' secretary general, Luis Almagro speaking during a forum organized by the IACHR. File photo.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—Through an official statement, the government of Venezuela expressed its strong disagreement with the “unfortunate statement issued by the Inter-American Commission of Human Rights (IACHR), which seeks to question the clean actions of the Venezuelan Public Powers.” The statement followed the Organization of American States’ (OAS) criticism of the Venezuelan Supreme Court of Justice (TSJ) decision on the Red Cross and the Communist Party cases.
The statement was made public by the minister of foreign affairs, Yván Gil, through his social media accounts. “Venezuela denounces the obedient and mercenary actions of the IACHR in our region, acting as a mouthpiece of the US Department of State, confirming that it is an organization that is only conceived as an auxiliary arm of imperial interests,” wrote Gil.
#Comunicado Venezuela denuncia el accionar obediente y mercenario de la CIDH en nuestra región, actuando como vocero del Departamento de Estado de los EE.UU., confirmando que es una organización que solo está concebida como brazo auxiliar de los intereses imperiales. pic.twitter.com/lsOMWE6t66
— Yvan Gil (@yvangil) August 22, 2023
In 2017, Venezuela formally requested to leave the OAS and the IACHR. The decision was effective in 2019. The decision was in response to multiple interventionist actions taken by Washington, DC-based OAS, frequently referred to as “the US Ministry of Colonies,” as Fidel Castro branded it in 1960.
The Communist Party and the Red Cross
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) published a statement condemning recent decisions by Venezuela’s TSJ that, according to them, threatened freedom of association.
“On August 4, by means of judgment No. 1,057, the TSJ dismissed the National Directive Committee of the Venezuelan Red Cross and appointed an ‘Ad Hoc Restructuring Board’ with powers to reorganize it,” wrote the IACHR. This decision would be contrary to what is established in the internal statutes of the organization with respect to its governance and would grant powers contrary to the constitutional pact. Likewise, last August 11, the TSJ issued Ruling No. 1,160, through which it arbitrarily appointed an Ad Hoc Board of Directors for the political organization Partido Comunista de Venezuela (PCV), dissident of the government coalition and opponent of several legislative initiatives.”
“These arbitrary judicial decisions not only affect freedom of association and political participation free of discrimination, but also deepen distrust in the electoral system; and, more worryingly, create new obstacles to overcome the institutional crisis in a country characterized by the absence of the rule of law,” it added.
The US and its puppet organizations did not take issue when, in December 2015, Ukraine’s government banned the country’s Communist Party or, in March 2022, when Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky banned 11 additional opposition parties outright.
The unofficial translation of the statement issued by the government of Venezuela can be read below:
The Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela strongly rejects the unfortunate communiqué issued by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (IACHR), which seeks to question the clean actions of the Venezuelan Public Powers, in a new attack on our country, repeating the servile actions of interests contrary to our region which led to the withdrawal of Venezuela from this degenerate organization.
Venezuela Does Not Accept IACHR Delegation (We are not in the OAS anymore)
The dismal and discredited IACHR lacks the same morality to question our Constitution and the Rule of Law enshrined therein. The arrogance with which it yearns to disregard the legal decisions made by the courts and competent bodies is one more example of its unbridled subordination to hostile elements that are launched against the Venezuelan people.
Venezuela denounces, once again, the IACHR’s biased actions and marketing in our region, behaving as a mouthpiece of the US State Department. This position only ratifies the Bolivarian Government’s rightful decision to get rid of the continuous blackmail of an organization that is only conceived as an auxiliary arm of imperial interests.
Caracas, August 22, 2023
Orinoco Tribune Special by staff
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