AMERICA/VENEZUELA - Unanimity in the OSA assembly is lacking, Maduro sends a second delegation

Friday, 28 June 2019 social situation   international politics  

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Medellin (Agenzia Fides) - A diplomatic case opened during yesterday's session of the Organization of American States (OAS), held in Colombia: Uruguay has withdrawn in protest of the presence of an illegitimate delegation from Venezuela. Other countries supported the representation of the Venezuelan opposition leader, Juan Guaidò.
This incident reflects the lack of unanimity of the OAS in the application of the provisions issued against the government of President Maduro considered a dictatorship. When Maduro announced the withdrawal of Venezuela from the OAS, in April 2017, Guaidò appointed a member of the National Assembly as a representative at the OAS.
At the meeting yesterday a second delegation arrived, sent by Maduro, which created a conflict in the number of voters for decisions. Thus Argentina and other countries supported Maduro, while Brazil and Paraguay criticized it. The United States promoted the delegate presented by Guaidò because, as Kimberly Breir, a North American delegate, said publicly, "the United States is committed to supporting the people of Venezuela in order to restore their democracy and we ask other nations to continue to show their firmness against Maduro, who is trying to destroy the institutions and democratic processes in Venezuela". The political situation in Venezuela was the main issue of the recent meetings of the OAS, a body based in Washington and that Maduro accuses of being at the service of the United States.
Coinciding with the OAS meeting, Venezuela celebrated yesterday "Journalist's Day", which is why the Bishops’ Conference of Venezuela (CEV) published a message sent to Fides. "Celebrating the day of the journalist in the current situation that Venezuela is experiencing, is an invitation to show with commitment and dedication what this laudable profession does in the midst of difficulties, and that is to inform" begins the Bishops’ text.
"In Venezuela the exercise of journalism has been severely challenged by the continuous attacks it has suffered in recent years – reads the message -; assaults, harassment, theft and destruction of equipment, restrictions on coverage, media censorship, arbitrary detentions and unjustified of national and international media journalists, closure of numerous media, even unjustified dismissals".
The text continues: "In the midst of the censorship that is experienced, it is necessary to make a difference, the journalist somehow writes the first draft of the story, through the construction of the news agenda and introducing people into the interpretation of events".
In the conclusion they cite Pope Francis when he states that "defamatory communication is the beginning of dictatorships". "All dictatorships began like this. The pluralism of opinion and communication are fundamental elements of true democracy". (CE) (Agenzia Fides, 28/06/2019)



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