Venezuelan VP Delcy Rodríguez on the US: Initial Dialogue Cannot be Conditioned (+Antalya Diplomacy Forum)

The executive vice president of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, discussed the recent rapprochement between the White House and the government of President Nicolás Maduro, the Venezuelan position on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, the hostility of the Iván Duque government of Colombia towards the authorities and people of Venezuela, and other the issues this Friday, March 11, in response to reporters’ questions after her speech at the Second Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Turkey.

Dialogue with the US
Regarding the recent high-level meeting between the United States and the government of Venezuela, she said, “we understand that the initial approaches cannot be conditioned under any circumstances, and this approach was made within the strict scope of bilateral relations… It is a first approximation and we hope that this development, within the framework of diplomacy and constructive dialogue, can move forward.”

“This moment depends a lot on the maturity of the governments,” she said. “We cannot approach international relations from a childish perspective.”

She added that it was the United States that had ended energy, economic and cooperation relations with Venezuela.

Russian military bases
When asked about the possibility of a Russian request to install military bases in Venezuelan territory, Rodríguez pointed out that the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela prohibits the establishment of foreign military bases in the country.

Hostility of Colombian government
Regarding Colombia, the Venezuelan vice president said that it is a case that must be studied with great caution, due to the high rate of internal and external displacement caused by the internal conflict in Colombia, and the fact that Colombia is the main producer of coca according to the United Nations. All these generate huge risk in the Colombian-Venezuelan border territories, especially due to the presence of Colombian paramilitary groups and drug traffickers.

Rodríguez added that Colombian President Iván Duque has adopted a position of irrationality, hatred and intolerance towards Venezuela, which has affected the Colombian population also.

“Iván Duque’s government really has a warmongering position,” she stated.

Imperial power behind mainstream media
The Venezuelan vice president also referred to the negative impact of the editorialized opinions of the imperial powers or de facto powers, “whether it is the [point of view of] financial capital expressed in the media or the military emporium expressed in the media.”

In this regard, she decried the false accusations and comments that are issued from other governments to tarnish the image of the government of Venezuela. Such accusations “do not contribute at all to the establishment of respectful relations,” she stressed.

OPEC+ agreement
Regarding Venezuela’s position as an oil producing and exporting country, she said that the country will remain within the OPEC+ agreement.

“Venezuela is a responsible nation that strongly defends international spaces and agreements,” she stated, “and Venezuela has been affected by the blockade. If the blockade did not exist, this would not be the level of production in Venezuela.”

It may be recalled here that Venezuela’s oil production started falling since 2016, when the first sanctions on the financial sectors started, and decreased sharply in 2019 when the US government sanctioned the Venezuelan state-owned oil company PDVSA. It is only recently, since late 2021, that the oil production of the country has started rising again.

Russia-Ukraine conflict
Referring to the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine, Rodríguez stated that Venezuela supports the path of diplomacy. She added that there had been numerous provocations that led to the conflict and “those could have been avoided.”

“The parties in conflict must, with humility, engage in a sincere and effective dialogue,” she urged. “We call upon the United States, Europe, NATO, Russia, to restore balance, to end these hours of anguish and suffering that are beginning to effect the global order.”

“Venezuela joins the voices that call for dialogue and a peaceful solution to this conflict,” she added. “To end the suffering of the peoples of the parties involved is a necessity.”

Speech
Earlier, in her speech, Rodríguez said that it is time for diplomacy and active dialogue.

She said that the only model that capitalism tries to impose has no way out, and urged the United States, Europe, the NATO, and Russia to restore balance.

She stated that it must be understood that in the 21st century, the model of domination and hegemony can end all life on the planet, and added that economic wars lead to the collective punishment of peoples.

She denounced the collective punishments inflicted on the people of more than 30 countries through unilateral coercive measures imposed by Washington in order to subdue sovereign nations such as Iran, Cuba and Venezuela. She highlighted that since the White House declared Venezuela a threat to Washington’s national security, more than 500 unilateral coercive measures have been issued that have caused a criminal blockade of Venezuela, which violates the human rights of all Venezuelans.

En nombre del Pdte @NicolasMaduro extendimos nuestros saludos y respetos al Ex Pdte español, Rodríguez Zapatero, quien tuvo participación en el Foro Diplomático de Antalia a favor de la Paz. Pdte. Zapatero ha sido un gran contribuyente del diálogo en Venezuela! pic.twitter.com/qLWfC0tKQz
— Delcy Rodríguez (@delcyrodriguezv) March 11, 2022

Rodríguez greets Spanish former Prime Minister Rodríguez Zapatero
After her speech, the Vice President of Venezuela sent a message of greeting to the former Prime Minister of Spain, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, who is among the 134 speakers at the Second Antalya Diplomacy Forum.

Featured image: Vice President of Venezuela, Delcy Rodríguez, with other international leaders and politicans at the Second Antalya Diplomacy Forum, Turkey, March 11, 2022. Photo: Twitter/@delcyrodriguezv

(Ultimas Noticias) by Aurig Hernández

Translation: Orinoco Tribune

OT/EF/SC