We, the undersigned parties and organisations in the Asia region, condemn the moves by the United States government to impose sanctions on Venezuelan citizens it deems to have “abused human rights”.
The US House of Representatives’ May 28 vote for such sanctions is a violation of the right of all nations to sovereignty and self-determination.
The bill is not motivated by a desire to end supposed human rights abuses in Venezuela. Rather, it seeks to support the openly stated aims of Venezuela's right-wing opposition to overthrow the democratically elected government of President Nicolas Maduro.
This is revealed by the bill's authorisation of millions of dollars of increased funding to opposition organisations in Venezuela -- the same groups responsible for a wave of violence within Venezuela this year that has left at least 40 dead and hundreds injured.
The US bill ignores the opposition to sanctions expressed by Latin America's main regional bodies, including the Organisation of American States (OAS), the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
It also dismisses the 73% of Venezuelans polled on May 10-12 who oppose US sanctions, as well as the calls by Venezuela’s president and government for peace and dialogue.
We strongly endorse the May 27 statement of the 188 countries of the Movement of Non-Aligned Nations that condemns the proposed sanctions as a violation of the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of another country. We agree with UNASUR’s May 22 statement approving the peace process initiated by the Venezuelan government and declaring US meddling an obstacle to national dialogue.
In the interests of international peace and justice, we call on the US Senate and President Barack Obama to respect the sovereignty of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and reject this bill.
Further, we call on our own governments to express their clear opposition to the proposed sanctions, and to use all channels available to pressure the US government to end its interference in the internal affairs of Venezuela.
-- Socialist Party of Malaysia (PSM)
-- Party of the Labouring Masses (PLM – Philippines)
-- Awami Workers Party (Pakistan)
-- Communist Party of India (ML) Liberation
-- Socialist Alliance (Australia)
-- Nepal Venezuela Solidarity Network
[Please email: international@socialist-alliance.org to add your endorsement to this statement.]