Dear Editor,
Source: Karita/AP
Your June 12 article, “Venezuelans Consider the Unthinkable: a Government Without Chavez,” underlines Chavez’s declining health and the problem this will likely pose in the upcoming elections. This issue is a serious and poignant one for the Western Hemisphere, but your article does not effectively address the full implications of Chavez’s waning health.
Furthermore, the article does not discuss the history President Chavez has interfering with United States interests, including his Middle East stand, his rally against global capitalism, and frequent threats to cut off the Venezuelan oil supply to the United States. Additionally, by implementing “21st century socialism” to prevent capitalist globalization, he weakened standing democratic institutions. While the authority of the United States in the region has dwindled, Chavez has broadened his own authority and aligned himself with problematic leaders such as Saddam Hussein and Mohammed Khatami, applauding the latter’s decision to defy the United States and go ahead with his nuclear program.
The article also fails to sift through likely election outcomes and their implications. The United States sees Chavez as a boorish radical, whose sole role is that of a barrier resisting against its interests in Latin America. His ousting could provide opportunities to alleviate a strained relationship or potentially allow a more extreme leader to replace him
Sincerely,
Matthew Fry
Research Associate at the Council on Hemispheric Affairs
HUGO CHAVEZ INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
FOR PEACE, FRIENDSHIP AND SOLIDARITY
HCIF-PFS
Public Relesae Statement 28 June, 2012.
Subject: “STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE BRUTAL MURDER OF ALEXANDER FERNANDEZ AND TWO OTHER ACTIVISTS IN VENEZUELA!
We, of the Hugo Chavez International Foundation for Peace, Friendship and Solidarity (HCIF-PFS) express our shock and deep concern over the brutal murder of activist Alexander Fernandez and two other activists in Venezuela’s state of Zulia. Alexander Fernandez was a warm, vibrant and friendly person who was full of energy and who stood against the usurpation and illegal occupation of their land in Zulia state.
Alexander Fernandez and his colleague victims were all members of the Yukpa Movement fighting for their land in Zulia state, Machiquea de Perija municipality. Mr. Fernandez was murdered along his brother Jose Luis Fernandez Fernandez and coucin Leonel Romero. In recent years several activists have been murdered in a similar manner. By now, it is clear that this is a systematic campaign with political intentions. Community residents attribute activist Fernandez death to targeted assassinations by those oppose to peace, democratic good governance, freedom and dignity which the people of Venezuela currently enjoy under the leadership of President Hugo Chavez.
If these reports that these assassinations are orchestrated with the backing of foreign powers to smear the competent authorities in Caracas, then we petition those powers to stop these assassinations-a crusader tactic replacing political decency with covert operations at the expense of innocent Venezuelan civilians. These terrorist attacks provide foreign detractors to Venezuelan peace, democracy and development with ample excuse to demonise President Hugo Chavez, to sow the seeds of destabilisation, and to further curtail the activities of human rights’ activists. Instead of protecting the rights of rights’ activists, the Zulia state authorities have been victimising them in the regular basis.
The Hugo Chavez International Foundation holds the belief that the killing of Alexander Fernandez and other activists further expose the nexus between narcotic drugs’ kingpins, the anti-Venezuelan opposition forces hiding behind the façade of contesting the forth coming October 7 Presidential elections against Dr. Hugo Chavez, corrupt political leaders, and in this case agents of imperialism. Needless to say that Mr. Fernandez came to limelight after he led the campaign against the illegal grabbing and occupation of their lands in Zulia, by rightwing mafia groups who are working on the clock, trying to ferment post elections violence as a pretext to invite the US and NATO crusader alliance to destabilise Venezuela and kill President Hugo Chavez and imposed al-Qaeda terrorist agents as Government in the Latin American nation.
As a peaceful, charity and development-oriented, non-governmental Organisation, we condemn the continued attacks and persecution of rights’ activists in Zulia. Such act of brutal terrorism can only led to violent confrontation between Indigenous Venezuelan people and illegal grabbers and occupiers of their lands in Zulia; and in some cases can escalate toward a regional military clash or war. The failure of the police in Zulia, to protect Alexander Fernandez and other murdered activists is not only apalling but a scary road mark for the future of civil society in general and rights/social activits’ in particular.
We demand ordering of judicial enquiry into the murder of Alexander Fernandez and the probable linkages between the murder and the death threats he had received from the wealth oligarchy extremists in Zulia. It is also imperative to investigate the fact that Alexander Fernandez was advocating for people in an atmosphere and environment dominated by right-wing extremists. The office of the Governor of Zulia state should own-up to not only its pathetic nature in which it dealt with a serious death threat from a citizen but also to tolerating a situation in Zulia where rogues have overthrown constitutional and democratic structures while gravely violating the basic rights of activists.
We salute the life, struggle and martyrdom of Alexander Fernandez, who spent his life leading the indigenous Venezuelan people in Zulia state, to fight for their land, their livelihood and their very existence!
Signed by:
Alimamy Bakarr SANKOH
International Executive Director.
HUGO CHAVEZ INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION
FOR PEACE, FRIENDSHIP AND SOLIDARITY
For Immediate Release.
4th August, 2012.
Subject: “PROTEST AGAINST THE UNFAIR AND CYNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARD
PRESIDENT HUGO CHAVEZ AND HIS GOVERNMENT”
We, at the Hugo Chavez International Foundation for Peace, Friendship
and Solidarity (HCIF-PFS) strongly reject the content of the report by
the New York based Human Rights Watch (HRW) on the situation of human
rights in Venezuela, led by President Hugo Chavez. In its 2012 Human
Rights report on Venezuela, Human Rights Watch blatantly and unjustly
faulted Venezuela.
The hate-filled report is not new again. It is the same dubious,
wicked and malicious propaganda campaign orchestrated every year by
hostile forces, including Human Rights Watch. We are not surprised at
this latest attempt by Human Rights Watch to demonise President Chavez
and his Government. It was well calculated and launched in a desperate
attempt to spread “voter apathy” among Venezuelan electorates, who
would be voting for a President on October 7, this year.
As always, we strongly reject the report as summation of racism,
apartheid, Zionism and double standards in human rights issues, which
is full of hatreds, malice, grudges, falsehood and fabrications.
Everything about the report is designed to promote US “regime change”
agenda in Venezuela, and to instigate militancy and criminal
activities to deteriorate law and order in the Latin American nation.
We condemn the contents in the report as malicious and hostile. It is
also full of slander and deceit, and clearly shows that Human Rights
Watch is out to harm the image and personality of the Venezuelan
leader
The Hugo Chavez International Foundation hopes that these lies and
distortions were not intended to divert attention from the savage and
ugly massacres that the US and its allies are continuing to unleash
upon Arabs in Syria, and upon Africans in Libya.
If anything, it would be a noble service to humankind if Human Rights
Watch takes the lead to investigate human rights, say for instance in
Paraguay (under the current coup plotters), former Colombian
narco-President, Alvaro Uribe against the four million Native Indian
Refugees, Al-Qaeda terror outfits against Africans in Libya, Al-Qaeda
terror machine against the peace-loving Arab people of Syria, and the
foreign occupation armies against the people of Iraq and Afghanistan,
as well as the concentration camps at Guantanamo in Cuba. We urge also
the Human Rights Watch to work for peace between Israel and Palestine;
and work for peace in the horn of Africa instead of collecting
concocted and fabricating stories to harm the integrity of President
Hugo Chavez and his democratically-elected Government.
Otherwise, manufactured stories against Venezuela are absolutely
ridiculous, misleading, and absurd because ever since the inception of
President Hugo Chavez leadership in 1999, the false accusations and
negative stereotypes about Venezuela are not new. Contrary to Human
Rights Watch report, Venezuela democracy is like the Church. The
foundation of the Church was built on democratic principles. There are
no political prisoners, and no political repression in Venezuela
today. The truth is that, the West, particularly the US has tried hard
to make Venezuela bankrupt in all sectors of its economy, including
education, agriculture, trade, exploration of resources, tourism, and
even made a false sense of instability, insecurity and dictatorship to
ridicule and scorn the Latin American nation.
Solidarity with President Hugo Chavez!
Solidarity with Venezuela!
Signed……………………………………………………
Mr. Alimamy Bakarr Sankoh
International Executive Director