Venezuela Affirms Commitment to Human Rights

Today, the World Jewish Congress welcomed the commitment of Latin American Leaders to condemning anti-Semitism and other forms of discrimination.

President Chavez of Venezuela, along with Presidents Lula da Silva of Brazil and Fernandez of Argentina signed a joint declaration promising to

renew their commitment to continue working at national, regional and international level to fortify the mechanisms of promotion and protection of the human rights, in order to assure their total respect irrespective of race, color, sex, religion, or political opinions

The President of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder (pictured at right) called the signing of the declaration “an important and very welcome step” that could serve as an example to the rest of the world.

Click here to read the press release.

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Hey! Look Over Here! Latin America is Making History!

Representatives from 33 countries throughout Latin America and the Caribbean just finished meeting in Brazil. By all accounts, the atmosphere was convivial.

Believe it or not, this “Rio Group” summit marked first time that such a large regional event has occurred without the presence of the United States. So what does this mean for the hemisphere? It depends on who you ask.

The AP reports that President Lula da Silva of Brazil said:

In the middle of an unprecedented global crisis, our countries are discovering that they aren’t part of the problem,” Mr. da Silva said. “They can and should be fundamental players in the solution [...]

There was a time when our friend Chavez was all alone. Who would have imagined 10 years ago our beloved Evo Morales as president? Would would have thought that a liberation theology bishop could become Paraguay’s president?

President Chavez said:

The important thing is that we are here together, without the patronage of the empire. The way is beginning, a new way – our way from the South.

And of course, Michael Shifter of the Inter-American Dialogue in Washington had this commentary to add:

This is a healthy development and should not be seen as a rejection of the U.S. On the contrary, Latin America wants to deal with the U.S. and other major world powers, but it wants to do so on more equal terms than in the past.

Read more about the Latin American summit from the AFP and the New York Times, and use the comments section to tell us what you think about the events.

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Venezuela Signs UN Convention Against Disappearance

Last Tuesday, Venezuela’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Jorge Valero, signed an important piece of human rights legislation: the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.

“Enforced disappearance” refers to “the arrest, detention, abduction or any other form of deprivation of liberty by agents of the State.”

It is a crime that is commonly associated with the “dirty wars” in South America’s Southern Cone in the 1970s and 80s, and that has been brought to the world’s attention by groups such as Argentina’s Madres de la Plaza de Mayo.

Now, Venezuela has joined 78 other countries around the world that vow to prevent disappearance and prosecute cases.

Venezuela ratified the OAS Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance a decade ago. This new convention is yet another commitment made by the Chavez government to ensuring respect for human rights and civil protections.

Read news in Spanish here or check out the full text of the convention in English here. Find out more about Venezuela’s Permanent Mission to the UN here.

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Bank of the South Begins with $10 Billion

The Bank of the South (or in Spanish, Banco del Sur) is an institution that promises to help Latin American countries help themselves.

Founded late last year, the Bank has just announced it will begin operations with US$10 billion in startup capital. This amount may climb to as much as $20 billion. Each country’s contribution is directly proportionate to the size of its economy. Member states are Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay (see their economy ministers pictured here).

What are the benefits? The new Bank of the South gives countries a new option for how to finance development programs. Priority areas are infrastructure, industry, housing, transportation, and human capacity-building.

Most importantly, the Bank creates an opportunities for cooperation and mutual assistance among countries in the region. Instead of relying on financial institutions like the IMF, which issued loans tied to policy demands, nations can soon borrow on their own terms.

Read more about the IMF’s decline in Latin America in the this report and this opinion piece.

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