Public Statement: In Defense of Democracy in Venezuela

Pablo Navarrete, Caracas: In the context of the decision by Venezuela's opposition to pull out of today's parliamentary elections, a number of prominent intellectuals have published a statement in support of the Venezuelan government entitled 'In Defense of Democracy in Venezuela' (see below). The statement also asks people wanting to add their name to the statement to email: [email protected] 

Statement

In Defense of Democracy in Venezuela

Saturday, Dec 03, 2005

By: Eduardo Galeano, Tariq Ali, Samir Amin, and others

For the past six years we have witnessed how, in the midst of great adversity, millions of Venezuelans have taken their destiny into their own hands and worked together to achieve the construction of a society rooted in the values of solidarity, democracy and social justice.

Strengthened by the Bolivarian Constitution –one of the most democratic in the world-  the Venezuelan People have ratified this project in seven elections over the past six years. Nevertheless, an elite sector of society, with the support of the U.S. government and Venezuela’s private media, has repeatedly tried to derail Venezuela’s democratic process. They attempted a coup d’Etat in April 2002, that was reversed by the People of Venezuela who took to  the streets armed only with their Constitution.  In December 2002 they tried to sabotage the country’s oil industry, and succeeded in deeply damaging the Venezuelan economy. But the Venezuelan people, organized within their communities, once again prevailed. 

Today, on the eve of the December 4th legislative elections, the minority opposition in Venezuela, unwilling to face a new political defeat, have cynically called for the withdrawal of its candidates claiming lack of confidence in Venezuela’s electoral authorities. 

Despite the fact that recent elections in Venezuela have been characterized by an unprecedented level of transparency, attested repeatedly by international observers, the opposition conditioned its participation in the legislative elections on a new series of demands.  However, once these demands were agreed to by the electoral authorities, the opposition abandoned its original commitment and withdrew from the elections with the goal of delegitimizing Venezuela’s institutions.  This cynical move demonstrates once again that the Venezuelan opposition is prepared to undermine democracy and violate a people’s sovereign right to self-determination in its desperate gambit for power.

This new attempt to disrupt Venezuela’s democratic process has been tacitly supported by U.S. government officials who have publicly questioned the credibility of Venezuela’s electoral authorities.

We, friends of the Venezuelan people, reject this new attempt to sabotage democracy.  We place our trust in Venezuela’s electoral authorities and in the Venezuelan people's will to defend their right to vote.   

First 30 signatures:

João Pedro Stedile (Brazil)

Emir Sader (Brazil)

Jose Dirceu (Brazil)

Eduardo Galeano (Uruguay)

Bernard Cassen (France)

James Petras (USA)

Ignacio Ramonet (Spain)

Tariq Ali (Pakistan)

Atilio Borón (Argentina)

Samir Amin (Egypt)

Francois Houtart (Belgium)

Richard Gott (UK)

Fernando Morais (Brazil)

Jean-Pierre Chevenement (France)

Georges Sarre (France)

Sergio Lobo (Venezuela)

Robin Blackburn (UK)

Socorro Gomes (Brazil)

Vanessa Grazziotin (Brazil)

Carlos Lima (Brazil)

Sydnei Liberal (Brazil)

Paul-Emile Dupret (Belgium)

Rémy Herrera (France)

Valter Pomar (Brazil)

Ramon Chao (Spain)

Aminata Traore (Mali)

Michael Löwy (Brazil)

Leila Jinkings (Brazil)

To add your name please send an e-mail to [email protected]

Comments

[Henry Georget]

Sad to see people who were once Marxists supporting this buffoon.