On nuclear free zones

The Bolivarian Constitution states in its preamble that nuclear disarmament is one of the foremost goals of Venezuela. We will participate in any decision that “promotes peaceful cooperation among nations and furthers and strengthens Latin American integration.” To the end of preserving the environmental richness of our nation, we must prevent the accumulation of toxic waste on our land. In 1970, we ratified the Treaty of Tlatelolco, establishing a nuclear free zone in Latin America, and we applaud Cuba’s recent entry into force. Our nation has also signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation treaty. We are prepared to work with our Latin American neighbors in pressing nuclear powers to diminish their nuclear weapons caches and halt any development of new weapons. Affirming that only the complete elimination of nuclear weapons in our hemisphere and our world will ensure security, we encourage other nations to join us in seeking a binding agreement with nuclear powers to ensure that they can not use or threaten to use nuclear weapons against nations in nuclear weapon free zones who maintain all the requirements of a zone. Further, we believe the nuclear powers, especially the U.S., should exemplify the standards of disarmament they demand of other nations, ridding themselves of their weapons of mass destruction to secure the future of the whole international community.
—Celeste Kennel-Shank, Goshen College, 2004.

On the war on terrorism and its human rights implications

Recently, the U.S. accused Venezuela of supporting terrorism through allowing terrorist training camps on Isla Margarita, part of our territory, and supporting armed guerilla groups in Colombia. Any illegal activity on Isla Margarita is not connected to terrorism, nor is it condoned by the Venezuelan government. Further, we do not support terrorism of any armed group in Colombia, or any group, regardless of political ideology. We believe the real terrorist training camps in the Americas are funded by the U.S. military, which produce soldiers who have committed human rights atrocities across Latin America. Our defense minister includes in his priorities making Venezuela the first Latin American country to stop sending its soldiers to be trained as terrorists in the U.S. Internationally, we support fighting terrorism, but multilaterally, and with safeguards against the killing of civilians. Recognizing that counter terrorism efforts have led to human rights abuses within many nations, such as the unfair detention of immigrants, we condemn international attacks against terrorists that impinge upon national and individual freedoms.
—Celeste Kennel-Shank, Goshen College, 2004.

The effect of HIV/AIDS on peace and security

Deeply regretting the destruction wreaked by HIV/AIDS upon many nations, Venezuela believes its relatively low rate of HIV infection, and number of AIDS victims result from our commitment to sex education, and improvement in public health care. Venezuela would likely support any resolution or efforts of Brazil to promulgate approach to HIV prevention, which emphasizes education of entire populations about HIV/AIDS, rather than sealing it away from public view or focusing solely on high risk groups, and has proved highly successful.
—Celeste Kennel-Shank, Goshen College, 2004.

Rights of female refugees

Venezuela believes that the rights of female refugees and refugees in general are very important to the improvement of human rights conditions within our country. While the refugee conditions among Venezuelans are not currently at a low point, we have made a significant effort to reach out to our Colombian neighbors who are refugees within our country. We have established a National Commission to oversee and direct efforts to provide protection, legal aid and assistance to asylum seekers. Our efforts toward equal opportunities for both genders reflect our support of women’s rights within our country and therefore we take particular interest in ensuring the rights of female refugees. Article 54 of our 1999 Constitution addresses issues in regard to human rights violations based on gender and age. It states that “No person shall be subjected to slavery or servitude. Traffic of persons, in particular women, children and adolescents, in any form, shall be subject to the penalties prescribes by law.” We consider it to be very essential to focus on several aspects that relate to women’s rights. First of all through Education and training we are working toward guaranteeing equal opportunities for women through assigning resources in the fields of science, technology and culture. We are also encouraging women to step outside of conventional fields of work and are training them in non traditional areas. According to Article 88, the State guarantees the equality and equitable treatment of men and women in the exercise of the right to work. And to discourage the continuing pattern of violence against women we have implemented various public and private sector organization programs that address and work toward eliminating the causes of violence.
—Erin Sigler, Goshen College, 2004.

Right to a decent standard of living

Our approaches to securing the right to a decent standard of living for our citizens is directly in line with the ECOSOC resolutions adopted at the most recent substantive session in 2003. 2003/45 The right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health (E/2003/23(part I) and E/2003/ SR.45)14(g) 23 July 2003 According to Articles 82 -84 of our constitution, Every person has the right to adequate, safe and comfortable, hygienic housing, with appropriate essential basic services, including a habitat such as to humanize family, neighborhood and community relations. Health is a fundamental social right and the responsibility of the State, which shall guarantee it as part of the right to life. The State shall promote and develop policies oriented toward improving the quality of life, common welfare and access to services. In order to guarantee the right to health, the State creates, exercises guidance over and administers a national public health system that crosses sector boundaries, and is decentralized and participatory in nature, integrated with the social security system and governed by the principles of gratuity, universality, completeness, fairness, social integration and solidarity. In Article 85: The State guarantees a health budget such as to make possible the attainment of these health policy objectives. With that stated Venezuela feels that the will and responsibility of the United Nations for the adoption of new strategies should take into account the actual economic circumstances of the world, they should specify the procedures for the application of what they name urgent and necessary in order to allow resolutions to become a reality.
—Erin Sigler, Goshen College, 2004.

Food security through international cooperation

Venezuela takes food security very seriously and has worked towards making the UN Agenda 21 a possibility through our nationally owned sector of the SPFS, which is one of the largest in Latin America. The four key elements of this program are: management of water resources; intensification of crop production; production diversification and analysis of the practical and economic constraints faced by small farmers. As stated in Article 128: The State shall develop a zoning policy taking into account ecological, geographic, demographic, social, cultural, economic and political realities, in accordance with the premises of sustainable development, including information, consultation and male/female participation by citizens. An organic law shall develop the principles and criteria for this zoning. Article 305 also follows and is directly in line with the goals of Agenda 21. This article expresses that the State shall promote sustainable agriculture as the strategic basis for overall rural development, and consequently shall guarantee the population a secure food supply, defined as the sufficient and stable availability of food within the national sphere and timely and uninterrupted access to the same for consumers. Food production is in the national interest and is fundamental to the economic and social development of the Nation. Thanks to the cooperation between FAO and the Venezuelan government, the President of Venezuela has put land at the organization’s disposal in order that it may guarantee food security for the world’s most undernourished populations.
—Erin Sigler, Goshen College, 2004.

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