The central building of the Venezuelan National Assembly in Caracas. Photo: File photo.
This Wednesday, in an extraordinary session, Venezuela’s National Assembly (AN) unanimously approved, in the first discussion of the matter, the Organic Law for the Defense of Essequibo to comply with the mandate issued by the Venezuelan people last Sunday, December 3, in a binding referendum.
The legal text was presented by United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) Deputy Diosdado Cabello, who highlighted the massive participation on Sunday in the referendum.
“We came out stronger, more united,” said Cabello. “I celebrate the active participation of sectors that are not aligned with the Bolivarian Revolution but actively participated.”
The bill—which was delivered by the President of the Republic, Nicolás Maduro, this Tuesday for debate—consists of 22 articles and four chapters.
Among the articles is the refusal, as approved in the referendum, to agree with the ruling of the 1899 Paris Arbitration Award, as well as the agreement to create Venezuela’s Guayana Esequiba state.
“It was a great victory, an all-the-way victory, from north to south, from east to west, throughout the national territory,” Cabello said during the presentation of the legal text.
“Now comes executing the mandate of the people,” he added. “This is a mandate of the people, with all its characteristics.”
Cabello presented the transitional provisions of this bill which establishes the appointment of a single authority with Tumeremo as its political and administrative headquarters.
For his part, the deputy for the opposition bench, Timoteo Zambrano, highlighted the evident unity of the Venezuelan people on Sunday and stated that the result “makes clear the democratic and pacifist vocation of our country.”
“Sunday’s result allows us to tell the world that in this country, there is a unity of purpose, and today, Venezuela is will face this new challenge in national unity,” said Zambrano. “We have built the necessary unity with the referendum.” The referendum reaffirms that the only instrument necessary to resolve the Essequibo controversy is the 1966 Geneva Agreement, added Zambrano.
During the session, Zambrano repudiated Guyana’s actions that seek to attack the Venezuelan homeland.
PSUV Deputy Hermánn Escarrá, for his part, when speaking in the plenary session, began by reiterating the immutable clause that the territory of Venezuela was established as what corresponded to the Captaincy General before the events of April 19, 1810, which included Guyana Esequiba.
Regarding the bill under discussion, the parliamentarian pointed out that it is fundamental, and he also highlighted that its origin is a constitutional referendum; that is, the constituent of the people acted and left a mandate, which is why it is evidently binding.
It is worth recalling that this Tuesday, the Venezuelan head of state designated Major General RodrĂguez Cabello as the sole provisional authority of the Guayana Esequiba state.
Likewise, he announced the creation of an Integral Defense Zone of Guayana Esequiba which will be made up of 28 integral development sectors linked to the Guayana Comprehensive Defense Region.
In the legal project, it is also established that legislative power in the new state will be exercised by the National Assembly until the controversy with Guyana is resolved.
(Ăšltimas Noticias) by Ariadna Eljuri with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SL
