by Arley Gill
The deepening crisis in Venezuela is of serious concern for us in the Caribbean.
After witnessing social and political unrest in other parts of the world which led to bloodshed, human trafficking, refugee crises, among other challenges, it is more than bothersome to observe what is happening in the neighbouring Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
Venezuela, in recent times under the leadership of President Hugo Chávez of blessed memory, and President Nicolás Maduro, has fostered and promoted serious and meaningful cooperation and assistance to us in the Caribbean and Latin American region. The ALBA initiative has benefitted the region in the tune of millions of dollars. In other words, in the days of plenty in Venezuela, Presidents Chávez and Maduro stretched forth their hands in genuine friendship.
There is no doubt that this Venezuelan crisis is a direct challenge to the relevance of the United Nations. The UN charter is essentially the most important source of international law. Article 1 of the charter sets out, that the purpose of the United Nations is to “maintain international peace and security, to take collective measures for the prevention and removal of threats of peace, and for the suppression of acts of aggression….”.
It also sets out, “to develop friendly relations among nations, based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples…”. Article 2 (1), provides that the “organisation is based on the principle of the sovereign equality of all its members”.
In Venezuela, someone who did not contest a general election declares himself president and the United States of America, and the most powerful countries in Western Europe, recognise him as such; doing so, despite the fact that there is a president duly sworn in after winning a general election.
Now the US and its allies argue that the election held was unfair or rigged; but their approach certainly cannot be the remedy for a supposedly unfair election. The United States itself just spent millions of dollars investigating whether or not the Russians meddled in their 2016 presidential elections. But, because they are powerful the Americans give themselves the right to recognise a “leader’’ of a country, without that person ever winning an election but simply declaring himself to be “president’’. If the US did so on 1 April, it could have been considered a joke; just as much a joke as the president of the US saying his father was born in Germany. However, there is nothing funny about the US and its allies and their stance on Venezuela.
What is more, there is the irony of the US purporting to send aid to Venezuela; doing so as the United States imposes and enforces sanctions on Venezuela by freezing their assets and restricting their trade, thereby adversely affecting their ability to do business and look after themselves. I mean, if that is not laughable, I really don’t know what is.
The reality of all this, is that the United Nations is powerless to prevent this unilateral action that is in clear violation of the UN Charter. Indeed, the small states in the Caribbean that come under the banner of Caricom have done much more to resolving the issue in Venezuela by peaceful means, and in defending the principles of the UN Charter.
Thus, in hindsight, it is probably not much of a surprise that the US president would have invited some leaders of Caricom to meet with him in his private “white house’’ rather than inviting all of Caricom, including the organizations chairman Dr Timothy Harris, Prime Minister of St Kitts & Nevis. Of course, a man has a right to invite whom he wants in his house. But, the visit to the US by Trump’s four handpicked Caricom leaders did not paint a pretty regional picture. I know the ordinary Caribbean national will much prefer our leaders to speak with one voice on issues like the Venezuelan situation.
The principles of sovereignty and self-determination must be adhered to and be defended – at all times! The government and people of Venezuela must be supported and must be given a fair opportunity to resolve their issues peacefully, without outside interference. The global community, through the proper channels, ought to assist in the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, without the politicisation of assistance. The UN, the Organisation of American States and other regional and international institutions, must act in conformity with international law, for fear that the rule of international law does not continue to descend into a farce.
The point is, it’s Venezuela today. Who will be tomorrow?
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Very well said. Could not have said it better myself.
Ignorance knows no bounds. Trump says, “the wind from wind mills ( wind turbines) are causing cancer. Suddenly, he appears to be an authority, on wind, since others appear to be following suit.
In contrast, the “wind” flatulence, one passes are both flammable, and toxic, yet these so called Planet Crusaders, are not on a crusade to ban farting. In my book, that makes them hypocrites, since the emitting of bodily “wind” is actually more dangerous, cliser to human contact, than the flying a kite. Therefore, my advise for those folks, as we say in the Islands, is to go “fly a kite”
Stop kissing ass for political purposes. Grenada would be a communist shithole if America hadn’t came to your rescue in 1983. Oh how quickly we forget. You’re welcome that you’re not a collapsing socialist disaster like Venezuela
Hi I’m a Venezuelan citizen, and I’m totally disagree about what you’re saying in your article, I’m pretty sure you don’t have any idea about what’s going on in my country. I have family there I had the opportunity to escape from that nightmare in order to find a future for me and my family. Do you know what’s to live without power? Without water? Without medicine?. 5 days I had with no communication with my family due to the power issue, they have a month without water, people is starving, people with cancer, people with kidney problems, children’s dying because there is nothing in the hospital or just because they parents don’t have any food to provide. Do you know what’s to live with 5US$ at month? My sister is a pediatrician and she was earning that, 5$ at month, is that correct for a country with the largest oil reserve in the world?. The corruption caused by Maduro government is unthinkable. Everything start with Chavez, populism it was the strategy that he used to create the idea of a politician of the people, not only in Venezuela but in the rest of the region also. He started to give the oil to other countries ” Strategic Alliances”. Some Caribbean countries started to benefit from it, specially Cuba, of course our oil production was like 3.5millions barrels per day, and the price it was 100$ per barrel. So it was a time with a lot of money for the government, but the corruption destroyed everything. He started to take the companies from the private capital, like Telecom, oil, electricity, water, iron, etc. Everything was in his power now, so all that unimaginable quantity of money disappeared during this 20 years now we are facing the consequences. You don’t care about Venezuelan people, you only care about the oil that Venezuela government is providing at a lower rate. So don’t write this article as you are an expert about what’s is happening in Venezuela, I beat you never has been there. Now after 20 years we have a lider, our actual president Juan Guaidó, you say he proclaimed himself as president, but let me tell you’re wrong, He is the president of the national assembly elected by Venezuelan people. The election called by Maduro was a fraud, he created a parallel assembly called ANC in order to take the power away of the legitimate national assembly elected by the people and then he choose the date for the elections for March which supposed to be on December. So he pointed the guys to be part of this parallel assembly, he has in the pocket at the president of the National Elections Council Wich is in that position since Chavez was a president. So it was impossible for him to loose the elections because he control everything. That’s why is a fraudulent elections people didn’t vote, there was no opposition party, so was him against him. How do you call that? A fair and transparent election? No! . He is not the president of Venezuela he Is usurping the president position, he is a puppet of Cuba who is a parasite country taking away our oils and gold. So that’s the only interest in those Caribbean countries that denied our new president. Only money interest, you don’t care about our children’s, about the 4millions of Venezuelans that has left the country not because they want, who wants to go away from his Homeland and a beautiful home like Venezuela? Nobody. So stop writing such a stupidity!
How true. The US intervention in Central and South America, along with its consistent policy of racism in the Caribbean, reflects the ingrained notion of racial superiority that lies at the foundation of its existence. The Monroe Doctrine, the Wolfowitz Doctrine, The Grand Area (-WWIi)’, all point to the evil that besets this nation.
Name ONE place on Earth where Americans and Europeans have gone and left a nation of people in peace.
Name ONE place on Earth where these Americans and Europeans have gone and NOT brought bloodshed, death or destruction. Do not rationalize their trespassing upon the land of others under the murderous lies-of searching for new markets, fighting terrorism , advancing US security or spreading democracy or human rights.
Americans have no good intent in your land or the land of others. They love your land but they hate YOU.
I have lived here all my life and know that you must beware of America bs in your land. Avoid them.