November 13, 2015
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro denounced Thursday at the Human Rights Council of the United Nations (UN), the attacks Venezuela has suffered for its decision to become truly independent.
He called to respect for the people, the country and its national democracy, as evidenced in the massive popular participation of all sectors and a solid electoral system.
He also advocated for the right to self-determination of the South American nations who have decided, like Venezuela, be free and implement more just and equitable economic and social systems.
“Venezuela demands before the Human Rights Council, the utmost respect of all bodies reporting to the collegial body of the Council, which only obeys one voice: The United Nations,” said the Venezuelan president in his speech at the headquarters of the Council, based in Geneva, Switzerland.
Likewise, he called on the UN to be alert and prevent this organization –so important for dialogue and meeting of peoples– from being used as a tool against popular political processes that arise in the world, citing as an example the revolutionary process taking place in Venezuela.
Attacks against Venezuela
The Venezuelan president also reported that a smear campaign is now under way to attack the Venezuelan judicial and electoral authorities, for the purpose of undermining the country’s institutions.
He warned that Venezuela is also a victim of a campaign of international manipulation using the alleged violation of human rights as an excuse.
“Venezuela is constantly facing harassment and manipulation regarding the issue of human rights, devised by media, by the West in a move to harm our country,” he warned.
Maduro added that this manipulation seeks to isolate Venezuela in the international arena, as well as protect those who conspire against the progress made in the country on human rights since 1999, when the Bolivarian Revolution began.
He also spoke of the constant harassment Venezuela has suffered by the US empire, even before the 2002 coup d’etat, which he said was conceived and prepared before the Iraq invasion.
Venezuela is a guarantor of Human Rights
In contrast to the campaigns being run against the country, the Head of State emphasized that in the last 16 years human rights of all sectors of Venezuelan society have been respected and said that the Constitution of the nation has become an international reference legal instrument because it dedicates nine chapters to the protection of the rights of the population.
He also said that the national Constitution defines, for the first time in history, the protection of environmental rights and emphasizes the rights of the population in education, health, housing, work, recreation and safety.
“A third of the Constitution was drafted and conceived with a structure that transcendentally mark the construction of a new country, which started in 1999. We can say from Venezuela: it was worthwhile to devise a constitution identifying all social sectors” he said.
He mentioned in his speech that Venezuela’s response to the attacks against the country was the creation, via the Organic Law, of a National Human Rights Council that has been consulted with all sectors of Venezuelan society to develop a plan that will coincide with the presentation of universal periodic review of the country at the UN.
Venezuela in the Human Rights Council
The Venezuelan president reaffirmed that with the re-election to the Human Rights Council for the period 2016-2018, Venezuela will continue to insist on building a “multipolar multicenter, economic and human” world where all countries of America, Africa and Asia, who make their way to their sovereign self-determination have their place.
Therefore, Maduro urged member countries of the Human Rights Council to make efforts to stop the interventionist actions of imperialist nature, by the major economic and weapons superpowers of the world against countries that do not respond to their interests.
In this regard, he reiterated that Venezuela will continue to support Palestine as a sovereign nation to defend its right to self-determination.
He added that the forced migration and the violence that occurs on the Palestinian territory, caused by Israel, were mainly created by hegemonic countries that tried to impose themselves.
The president welcomed the ratification of Venezuela as a member of the Human Rights Council and recognized the efforts by this UN body for global democracy and true respect for human rights and independent peoples.
He said the Human Rights Council has laid the foundations for renewal and achieved positive progress “rectifying the mistakes that led to the decline of the United Nations mechanisms that existed in the past.”
On October 28, with 131 votes, Venezuela was reelected as a member of the Human Rights Council of the United Nations for a second consecutive term. At the time, President Maduro highlighted the country’s diplomatic victory despite the fierce campaign by US and international right against the Bolivarian Government.
http://www.avn.info.ve/node/329525
Source: Venezuelan News Agency