[News] The UN Violates Venezuela’s Right to Vote on Matters of World Interest

[Anti-Imperialist News]

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The UN Violates Venezuela’s Right to Vote on Matters of World Interest

By Gustavo A Maranges on November 6, 2022

sanctions are a crime

This week the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) passed the resolution
presented by Cuba to demand the end of the economic, commercial, and
financial blockade of the United States of America over the island. The
rejection was overwhelming, but there was a missing vote among those in
favor. Venezuela, which traditionally supports Cuba’s position and is also
a victim of the same type of unilateral sanctions, was absent.

In this context, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro once again called on
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to restore his country’s right to
vote in the UNGA taking into account that Venezuela owes almost
US$40 million, this right was withdrawn in January 2022 for the 5th time in
the last 7 years.

The South American country has always been willing to pay, but the U.S.
blockade has impeded Venezuela to fulfill its economic obligations. At
first, the economic sanctions provoked a crisis that prevented Venezuela
from paying its dues. Nevertheless, the current reason is even more
Machiavellian.

Despite oil prices on the international market going up and the economic
measures implemented by Maduro’s government, Venezuela is still unable to
fulfill its UN obligations on time. Today, payment financing is no longer a
problem, since the government has the necessary funds to do it. However,
unilateral sanctions by the United States prevent the South American
country from even having a bank account to make the payment.

This situation may sound unbelievable, but it is real. The economic siege
on Venezuela is very comprehensive, to the point that no U.S. bank can
provide services to Venezuela. The United States is violating all its
Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Law’s commitments and its obligations as
the receiving country of an international organization. The receiving
country has to guarantee the necessary conditions for accredited embassies
to work in a normal way.

This pressure mechanism is not new for revolutionary governments in the
region, as it has already been applied to Cuba on several occasions. Cuban
diplomatic missions abroad are also affected in the same way. This
situation hinders their daily work, the regular services they provide, and
even the daily lives of their diplomats. The embassies in Washington and at
the UN have been the most affected since they have been denied banking
services for several months, on repeated occasions.

However, the case of Venezuela is more concerning since it is not only
about the embassy’s daily work but also the sovereign right of the South
American country to decide on issues of global interest.

According to the UN Charter, a country with debts higher than two-year
quotas loses its right to vote but not to participate or speak, which
Venezuela has taken advantage of. However, the same Charter’s Article 19
also reads that the UN may restore the right to vote if it “is satisfied
that the failure to pay is due to conditions beyond the control of the
Member.” Obviously, this is Venezuela’s situation.

It can’t pay due to an illegal and unfair blockade beyond its control, even
when having the financial resources. The Secretary-General has ignored this
exception and continues violating Venezuela’s right to vote despite
repeated requests from the Maduro  government. This attitude is
discriminatory and illegal treatment, not only by the United States but by
the United Nations itself.

The hand of Joe Biden’s government is behind all this, as it was with
Donald Trump at the time. However, the UN is supposed to be an impartial
representative organization where all states are equal, but this shows the
pressure and arm twisting the US can exert to keep the playing field tilted
in their direction.

Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – US
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