Former leaders call for Venezuela to be confronted on human rights

Former leaders call for Venezuela to be confronted on human rights
BY JIM WYSS JWYSS@MIAMIHERALD.COM
04/09/2015 9:22 PM 04/09/2015 9:52 PM

PANAMA CITY
Saying that the hemisphere can no longer ignore widespread abuses in
Venezuela, 26 former presidents signed a statement Thursday calling on
the Andean nation to hold elections and free political prisoners.

The joint communiqué — signed by the former leaders of Colombia,
Bolivia, Ecuador, Mexico and Spain, among others — comes as the
hemisphere's leaders begin meeting Friday during the seventh Summit of
the Americas.

Former Spanish Prime Minister José Maria Aznar (1996-2004) said that the
powerful visitors have a responsibility to tackle the thorny issue.

"They must understand that their silence and inaction make them
accomplices in a situation that is absolutely unsustainable in
Venezuela," he said.

Former Bolivian President Jorge Quiroga (2001-2002) echoed the thought,
saying he knew it was "uncomfortable" for sitting leaders to take
Venezuela to task, "but it's cruel and painful to have opposition
leaders in prison."

Sitting in the crowded conference room were Lilian Tintori, the wife of
Leopoldo Lopez, head of the Voluntad Popular political party who was
arrested 14 months ago, and Mitzy Ledezma, the wife of Caracas Mayor
Antonio Ledezma who was detained earlier this year.

As she accepted the signed petition, Tintori thanked the presidents,
pumped her fist in the air and shouted "freedom!"

In the wake of national protests last year that left more than 40 dead,
the government arrested a number of high-profile politicians, despite
rebukes from the United Nations and others.

Earlier this week, 28 human rights organizations said that Venezuela is
also cracking down on civil society organizations and asked the region's
presidents to "demand from [Venezuela] guarantees that human rights
defenders can do their jobs without fear of suffering reprisals."

Thursday's declaration asks Venezuela to guarantee separation of powers,
allow freedom of the press and, most importantly, hold elections. The
country is slated to hold National Assembly elections this year, but the
government hasn't said when that will happen. Quiroga asked for clear
dates, international observers and that political opponents be freed.

The government claims Lopez, Ledezma and others were plotting coups, but
Quiroga said that their true crime was to "think differently."

Former Colombian President Andres Pastrana (1998-2002) said the list of
backers of the declaration was unprecedented in its scope. The last time
so many leaders had their signatures in the same place "was probably a
hotel guest book," he said.

Even so, it's doubtful that Venezuela will be rebuked publicly at the
summit. The theme of this year's meeting is prosperity with equity and
leaders have said they will try to keep talks centered around the agenda.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, however, is trying to turn the
meeting into a referendum on U.S. sanctions that were levied last month.
His administration has been on a weeks' long drive to collect 10 million
signatures rejecting the sanctions and Maduro has said he will present
it to President Barack Obama here.

Maduro also tweeted pictures of the U.S. prison camp in Guantánamo,
Cuba, and said the country had no right to question anyone's commitments
to human rights.

There are also signs, however, that diplomacy may be working. State
Department Counselor Thomas Shannon visited Venezuela on Wednesday and
Thursday. Before traveling to Jamaica on Wednesday, President Barack
Obama told the Efe news agency that he did not see Venezuela as a menace
— even though the executive order that sparked the sanctions expressly
called the country an "extraordinary" threat to U.S. national security.

Maduro took the declaration as a victory.

"We have made President Obama recognize, in his own words, that
Venezuela is not a threat," he posted to Twitter on Thursday. But he
also urged supporters not to stop there but to have the executive order
repealed.

The tug-of-war comes amid growing expectations about the arrival of
Cuban President Raúl Castro — marking the first time Cuba has
participated at the event.

Cuban dissidents have been worried that the U.S. rapprochement talks and
the island's inclusion at the summit might obscure lingering problems.
On Thursday, a group of activists called on the island to hold open and
secret elections and to liberate political prisoners and allow freedom
of the press.

"Despite the lack of international solidarity, the Cuban people deserve
to be free and will be free," said former U.S. Rep. Lincoln Díaz-Balart,
a Miami Republican.

On Wednesday, a group of Cuban dissidents were confronted by supporters
of the island's communist regime. The confrontation led to pushing,
shoving and landed a few people in detention.

Reacting to that news, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Florida) said, "It's hard to
imagine a more sickening start to this summit."

"It's reflecting poorly on Panama, reminding us of the true nature of
the Castro regime, and showing just how naïve President Obama's Cuba
policy is," he said.

Source: Former leaders call for Venezuela to be confronted on human
rights | Miami Herald Miami Herald -
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