Photo composition showing a big group of protesters on a yellow background and a caption reading "Regime Change NGOs." Photo: YouTube/@BuddhiMedia.
This Tuesday, January 24, Venezuela’s National Assembly approved on first discussion the initiation of public consultation and debate of each one of the articles of the Bill for the Oversight, Updating and Financing of NGOs and related organizations.
This was announced by the president of parliament, Jorge Rodríguez, through a message via social media, in which he stated that the purpose of non-governmental organizations must be oriented to the service towards different sectors of the population. “We approved in first discussion the Bill for the Oversight, Updating and Financing of NGOs and related organizations,” Rodríguez wrote. “We will start a consultation and discuss each article with the people. NGOs must fulfil their sole objective: to serve different sectors of the population.”
Aprobamos en primera discusión el Proyecto de Ley de Fiscalización Actualización y Financiamiento de las ONG’s y afines. Iniciaremos una consulta y debatiremos con el pueblo cada artículo. Las ONG’s deben cumplir con su único objetivo: atender a distintos sectores de la población pic.twitter.com/QFyF8gVosR
— Jorge Rodríguez (@jorgerpsuv) January 25, 2023
During Tuesday’s session, the deputy explained that this bill seeks for NGOs to fulfil their role. “But every time we see those organizations, agencies, governments—which are riddled with good intentions—despite what they look like, you can easily see their sinister intentions.”
Rodríguez noted that these organizations receive financing and distribute money to officials “or to those who publish the tweets of the Narnia government, they are disguised but they really are political parties.” He also stated that things should be called by their name. “If you want to do politics, do politics,” he said. “Go to the National Electoral Council and register as a political party.”
Venezuela’s National Assembly Approves Law for Financial Transparency of NGOs in First Discussion
Rodríguez also noted that in Venezuela it is illegal for parties to receive financing from foreign powers. He also stated the intentions behind this trend are those that the Head of the US Southern Command shamelessly raised to go after resources such as lithium and oil. Rodríguez also drew attention to the financing of the electoral campaigns of some right-wing political candidates.
Debate opened
In recent days, local public debate has focused on this new law proposal, mostly with far-right politician/activists and NGO executives trying to present themselves as victims in a Machiavellian plan. But many Venezuelans are aware of the political nature of most of these NGOs, and their work as tools of foreign interventionism and regime change operations.
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A number of interviewees in these recent debates have openly lied about the international nature of state regulation of organizations and individuals that are being financed by foreign governments, political parties, and corporations, instead saying that only “authoritarian regimes” like those of Nicaragua or Cuba are the ones with laws of this nature.
Many international experts have explained that a similar law approved recently in Nicaragua, for instance, is heavily inspired by legislation in the United States or European Union countries that maintain more restrictive approaches towards organizations and individuals receiving financial resources from abroad.
A former Venezuelan diplomat questioned by Orinoco Tribune on this issue explained that in the US, if you work for an organization that receives funding from a foreign government, you have to register in the Department of Justice database of “foreign agents,” and the financial resources of those organizations are heavily scrutinized by the US government. This is enforced under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA), a legislation that has been in place since 1938, with 14 public sentences since 2007 alone.
(Últimas Noticias) with Orinoco Tribune content
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/AU
