Wednesday, October 22, 2008

European parliamentary condemnation must send a clear message to Venezuela reflecting the concern of Democrats around the world!

VHeadline Venezuela News reports: Writing in today's edition of the Spanish language LA VERDAD, former Venezuelan United Nations (UN) Ambassador, Milos Alcalay writes that Caracas (Chacao) Mayor Leopoldo Lopez has been greeted in Brussels by the European Parliament with the news that the organization has approved discuss of the contentious unilateral illegalities of "exclusions" by Venezuela's Chavez government under which several hundred opposition candidates for election in November 23 local and regional elections have been denied their democratic rights to stand -- mostly against 'Chavista' candidates!

Alcalay states that at a conference of the presidents of European Parliamentary political groups -- which defines the agenda of discussions to be heard in plenary sessions between October 22 and 25 in Strasbourg-France -- it was decided that in meetings that the Venezuelan issue would be treated as urgent towards a resolution in view of the current situation in Venezuela and next month's elections.

Faced with this decision, the EU Christian Democrats (EPP) and Liberals (ALDE) also decided to introduce a proposal open to other political groups, to highlights the importance of defending democracy and human rights expressed in three fundamental concerns over the disqualifications led by the Venezuelan Comptroller General, the arbitrary expulsion from Venezuela of Human Rights Watch's Jose Miguel Vivanco and the killing of University of Zulia leader Julio Soto under as yet unclarified but suspicious circumstances.

Alcalay says that he had had the opportunity to accompany Chacao Mayor Leopoldo Lopez on his trip to Brussels last week when he met leading parliamentarians as well as holding key meetings with senior European Parliament executives, including EU vice president Mario Mauro, EU cabinet chairman, Ciril Stokelj, and EU Foreign Policy Committee chairman, Sarryuz Wolski.

"With the position taken by political groups and the decision to discuss the issue at the next plenary session of the European Parliament, it further emphasizes the concern expressed for some days by Christian Democrat, Socialist, Liberal and Conservatives Senators and Representatives of the Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly who had signed a statement with signatures from 11 countries' representatives and four political groups, also raising their condemnation of the unilateral disqualifications of opposition candidates and the unacceptable form under which Vivanco, a renowned advocate of Human Rights, was summarily expelled from Venezuela.
  • This week in Strasbourg there will most assuredly be a vote in favor of the resolution condemning Venezuela's arbitrary actions by parliamentarians in both political forums by MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) and national parliamentary representatives from 47 European countries who assume similar positions.

This international condemnation must send a clear message to the deputies (congressmen and women) in the Venezuelan National Asembly (AN) since it reflects the concern of Democrats around the world on issues which must NOT be sidelined.

VHeadline Venezuela News
vheadline@gmail.com

  • Editor's note: Because we have had so many international media enquiries to facilitate interviews with Mr. Alcalay, please note that until October 26, Ambassador Milos Alcalay is at the 2-star Victoria Garden Strasbourg, 1 rue des magasins, F-67 000 Strasbourg-France. Telephone +33 (0) 3 90 22 43 43 Fax +33 (0) 3 90 22 44 44 and direct email milosalcalay@yahoo.com

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Venezuela is facing the most difficult period of its history with honest reporters crippled by sectarianism on top of rampant corruption within the administration and beyond, aided and abetted by criminal forces in the US and Spanish governments which cannot accept the sovereignty of the Venezuelan people to decide over their own future.

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