[News] Danny Glover: Yes to Dialogue, no to Intervention in Venezuela

[Anti-Imperialist News]

http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/12069


  Danny Glover: Yes to Dialogue, no to Intervention in Venezuela

By Danny Glover - The Jamaica Observer , July 6th 2016

I recently addressed the Organization of American States (OAS) in 
Washington, DC, in the hopes of sparking interest in the quest for 
reparations that so many of our hemisphere’s African descendants are 
due. I never would have imagined that a few short months later, the 
secretary general of that regional body, Luis Almagro, would be waging 
an interventionist campaign against one of our beloved Caribbean 
neighbours. Not to mention a Caribbean state that has done so much in 
recent years to lift up the voice of its African descendants and those 
of the region.

While many may have strong opinions about the current cause of 
polarisation in Venezuela and the serious economic shortcomings that our 
sisters and brothers there face, we as citizens of the Americas, 
residents of the Caribbean, and those who count on this regional body to 
represent our people’s best interests, must not allow one man to use his 
position in leadership to wage a campaign of political intervention 
against one of our sister nations, and a member state.The OAS is a forum 
that should be used to solve our citizens’ most pressing problems, not 
divide them and embolden those who would use illegal and violent methods 
to bring about political change at all costs.

Needless to say, the situation within the OAS is worrisome. At a recent 
meeting in the Dominican Republic, 19 countries voted in favour of 
opening an investigation into whether Secretary General Almagro had 
violated the institutional norms of the very body he is tasked with 
leading; in essence more than half of that body was concerned that he 
may have a political agenda.

As secretary general of the OAS, Almagro has made statements that are 
completely inappropriate and simply don’t hold up under scrutiny. They 
seem, in fact, to be aimed at calling into question the democratically 
elected Government of Venezuela and its institutions, rather than 
representing the opinion and will of OAS member states.

Recently, he supported and appears to insist on spearheading the 
invocation of the Democratic Charter against Venezuela that could end up 
removing and isolating the country from the regional body. Venezuela 
would soon be in “a situation of illegitimacy” he stated, and “the 
institutional crisis in Venezuela demands immediate changes in the 
actions of the executive branch”.

While Venezuelans are certainly facing economic hardships in the midst 
of a global oil economy experiencing its deepest downturn since the 
1990s, coupled with a decade-old US sanctions that have encouraged some 
financial institutions to disengage with Venezuela, there is little 
evidence of a breakdown of institutions or an illegitimate Government. 
These statements appear to be nothing more than opposition talking 
points which the secretary general seems intent on reiterating.

It is interesting to note that at the same time that this campaign 
promoting intervention against our brothers and sisters of Venezuela has 
been taking place in the OAS, the United States has announced talks with 
Venezuela at the highest levels to improve relations. Dialogue and 
relationship-building on the basis of equality and respect for 
sovereignty are indispensable elements for democracy and peace across 
the Americas and, indeed, throughout the world.

If the 35 member states of this regional organisation truly desire to 
uphold its charter and achieve “an order of peace and justice, to 
promote their solidarity, to strengthen their collaboration, and to 
defend their sovereignty, their territorial integrity, and their 
independence”, we must ensure that those who represent us in these 
hemispheric platforms do so justly and do not succumb to political peer 
pressure from the North.

Over the past 12 years, whether it be through the cancelling of national 
debt, providing energy, electricity and infrastructure, engagement 
through PetroCaribe or discounted heating oil to those of us in the 
North who have had to choose between heat or food for our families, 
Venezuela has been nothing short of a good neighbour.

When friends like Venezuela are in need we should be providing 
collective help, not promoting intervention. Safeguarding the legitimacy 
of the OAS and not allowing it to be used as a political tool for 
intervention against a fellow Caribbean nation, one that has 
continuously supported our regional aspirations, just development and 
self-determination for all of our citizens, is at this time in history a 
matter of the utmost importance.

*Danny Glover is an award-winning actor, citizen-artist, and human 
rights advocate.*

-- 
Freedom Archives 522 Valencia Street San Francisco, CA 94110 415 
863.9977 www.freedomarchives.org
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