<html>
<head>
<meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8">
</head>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" text="#000000">
<div id="container" class="container font-size5">
<div dir="ltr" style="display: block;" id="reader-header"
class="header"> <font size="-2"><a
href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/12069"
id="reader-domain" class="domain"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/12069">http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/12069</a></a></font>
<h1 id="reader-title">Danny Glover: Yes to Dialogue, no to
Intervention in Venezuela</h1>
<div id="reader-credits" class="credits">By Danny Glover - The
Jamaica Observer , July 6th 2016</div>
</div>
<div class="content">
<div style="display: block;" dir="ltr" id="moz-reader-content">
<div xml:base="http://venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/12069"
id="readability-page-1" class="page">
<div class="content-text-inner">
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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”.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p><strong>Danny Glover is an award-winning actor,
citizen-artist, and human rights advocate.</strong></p>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div> </div>
</div>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110
415 863.9977
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="http://www.freedomarchives.org">www.freedomarchives.org</a>
</div>
</body>
</html>