By Jordan Flores.
The President of the National Assembly and acting President of the Republic, Juan Guaidó, requested Wednesday, September 23 to the 75th General Assembly of the United Nations that member states evaluate the implementation of direct international assistance mechanisms to restore democracy in Venezuela, through the commitment of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P).
During his speech, the Venezuelan political leader highlighted the seriousness of the crimes against humanity included in the recent report of the UN Fact-Finding Mission. He argued about the exhaustion of peaceful and diplomatic means to achieve the cessation of Nicolas Maduro’s usurpation. Finally, said this all makes it necessary to take more forceful actions at an international level.
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“Today, I ask all the representatives of the Member States to assume the responsibility and assist the legitimate government of Venezuela in its mission to protect the Venezuelan people and to consider a strategy that includes scenarios after the exhaustion of diplomatic channels.” Guaido declared.
He pointed out that his administration has made efforts to combat “the cruelest regime that the region has seen in recent years,” through international and individual sanctions against officials linked to acts of corruption and human rights violations, but that those measures have not been enough.
“We have promoted all the democratic initiatives established in our Constitution, to find them in turn illegally blocked by the dictatorship. We have voted, protested, established processes of dialogue with credible international mediators, and called for processes of reconciliation and amnesty. No one can say that we have remained with our arms crossed at any time,” he emphasized.
Nevertheless, he recognized that despite the work done, the administration of Nicolas Maduro still has power over the national territory. The Maduro regime not only continues with its systematic violations of human rights but also allows irregular groups linked to terrorism and drug trafficking operates in the country.
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“Given this reality, and the responsibility of the position I hold, I must ask you, today, to align the efforts of international assistance to restore the sovereignty in Venezuela, and to protect the unarmed civilian population, because of the systematic and repeated commission of crimes against humanity by the dictatorial regime,” he stated.
For this reason, he requested the UN Human Rights Council to continue with the investigations of the Fact-Finding Mission to incorporate other crimes committed by the government, such as the ecocide in the Orinoco Mining Arc. He also asked High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet to continue with her work so that the responsibility of Nicolas Maduro and his entourage, be determined, to be presented the International Criminal Court.
“I also request the Secretary-General of the United Nations to mobilize the political will of the Member States to protect the civilian people from the atrocities of a criminal regime. Honorable Mr. Guterres, as you rightly indicated in 2018 during the General Assembly debate on the Responsibility to Protect of States: fundamental principles mean little if they are not applied when they are most needed. Today in Venezuela, is when they are most needed,” he added.
