委內瑞拉外交部長 埃利亞斯‧豪亞‧米拉諾 聲明

委內瑞拉外交部長 埃利亞斯‧豪亞‧米拉諾 聲明
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Statement by the Ministry of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, Elías Jaua Milano

主席先生，人權理事會理事們，人權理事會觀察員們，秘書處的成員，女士們，先生們，

本人謹代表委內瑞拉人民和我國的憲法總統尼古拉斯‧馬杜羅‧英羅斯致以熱誠的問候。

委內瑞拉玻利瓦爾共和國出席這次會議，去年我國獲選為這備受尊崇的理事會成員。我們來到此地是要支持人權理事會的體制特點，以透明和其建設性的方式建立與各國合作。

為此，委內瑞拉向理事會審查工作組推動審議，我國與不結盟運動的觀點是相符的，委內瑞拉將會負責任地領導二零一五年下半年的一個小組。

我們對人權理事會正在展開的就聯合國一百九十三個成員國的人權狀況進行普審的工作感到滿意，它為所有成員國提供機會匯報其改善人權狀況以及履行的承諾，並指出挑戰的所在。

委內瑞拉玻利瓦爾共和國現正為其在二零一一年十月所提交的審查所作出的承諾進行工作，冀在二零一六年的第二輪審查中獲得百分之百的推廣和接受。我們正準備向相關的條約機構呈交辯護報告。

必須指出的是，委內瑞拉堅決反對利用人權從事不符合其真實情況，達到製造政治利益的手段。特別是一些強大的國家，以此破壞國家之間的瞭解、打破聯合國憲章的原則和規範，並對國際和平不利。

主席先生，委內瑞拉無法在這些國際論壇上展示其成就和挑戰，因為我們相信在這些會議上，應優先處理促進人權、民主和世界和平的多邊議程的重要性。

然而，國際上對我國作出謊言和虛假，指我國是一個混亂和內戰的國家，迫使我代表委內瑞拉人民，為一個自由民族的和平與尊嚴而發聲。

我們的人民獲聯合國教科文組織確認並不是一個文盲的民族；在二零零三年獲糧農組織確認，我國並不存在因饑餓而死亡；全國人民均可獲公共和免費教育，使用電腦和互聯網接入，使我們在去年獲聯合國教科文獎項；一個具美麗文化傳統的民族在二零一二和二零一三年獲人類非物質文化遺產，這是委內瑞拉兩項最重要的文化表現。

主席先生，在十五年的民主革命中，我國已進行了十九項選舉進程(總統、地方、議會、協商、取消和批准公投)。玻利瓦爾民主革命贏得了十九項選舉的十八項。

十年來，我們已減少了百分之二十五的整體貧窮，而窮困率只佔人口的百分之五。根據聯合國以基尼係數衡量的數字顯示，在拉丁美洲和加勒比海地區不平等的國家當中，委內瑞拉是最為減低不平等情況的國家。

主席先生、代表們，在近期的全國青年調查，我們對現今年輕的委內瑞拉人作了一次「巨大的X光檢驗」，在全國範圍內向一萬名年齡介乎十五至廿九歲的年輕男女進行了訪問，結果顯示如下：

- 百分之六十的人認為，社會主義是最好的制度，而百分之二十一是選擇資本主義制度；
- 百分之七十七的人希望留在國內，只有百分之十三的人是說想離開；
- 百分之九十的人認為他們的學習提供了「許多或甚多的機會」；
- 百分之九十三的人相信，他們可以期望獲得更好的工作。

這使我們看到，大部份年輕人反對我國的民主社會主義制度並不是真實的。

在二零一三年拉丁美洲晴雨報告(Latinobarómetro)反映了委內瑞拉大多數人民是支持其民主的，但同時也表示「委內瑞拉是爭論的中心，該國公民所說的與國際社會所說的『民主』具最巨大距離的國家」。

其原因是，毫無疑問地是那些強大國家和國際媒體的研究室是對我國進行心理戰，總是把來自委內瑞拉的負面新聞加以放大。

一些非常強大的國家和跨國私人新聞媒體通過宣傳和鼓動、在那些政府發言人的支持下，把人權轉化為反對那些獨立政府的懲罰武器，企圖指我國處於混亂的狀態、政府濫用和過度鎮壓人民，藉此理由而干涉內部事務、實行不公平的否決和制裁。

對於那些不斷和重覆地說這裡有殘酷鎮壓和平示威者，這是有必要地指出，一個和平示威是「公眾聚集、通常是在戶外，而參與者是要求一些東西或表達其訴求」。

至於玻利瓦爾革命，和平示威是構成人民直接參與的方式之一，是一個民主政治制度內促進多元和存在分歧的必要性。基於此原因，我們提倡並保證它。

但示威的權利並不是絕對的，這是要以和平的方式表達和非使用武器。

在過去的一個月，委內瑞拉人民持續地受到騷擾，並企圖圍攻我們是一個違反人權的國家，拖垮我們的和平傳統和使命。受過訓練的群體，以示威合法的名義，粗暴地封鎖公共道路、阻礙需要前往工作、上學、購買食物、接載病人至健康護理中心的自由通過權利。這些人還放火燃燒運輸食物的車輛、破壞公共機構、救護車輛、公共交通車輛及乘客以及重要的公共服務設施，譬如電力、電話和公共安全等。這些群體還推動排外、種族和社會不容的攻擊。

基於以上原因，執法部門按事件的比例標準和不同情況，為恢復國家秩序、為希望生活在和平環境的絕大多數人民的利益以公共安全力量合法地遏制那些襲擊和逃避責任者。五十一名執法官員和玻利瓦爾武裝部隊人員受傷，大部份都是受不同類型和口徑的鎗械所傷。其中一位名叫喬瓦尼‧潘托哈(Giovamni Pantoja)的玻利瓦爾國民警衛警長於上周五在一個住宅區值勤恢復交通秩序時被一群武裝份子伏擊而死亡。

主席先生，有必要指出這些暴力行為的規模和其後果。在我國領土三百三十五個城市當中有十八個城市的上 – 中階層地區均有錄得這些行為。十八名死者當中，只有三人可能是因非法行為而被警察擊斃。誰被帶上法庭？只有七十三人被控觸犯侵犯他人、破壞公物和謀殺罪而留在監獄。他們全部送上法庭，在審訊中獲得相關的保障。

國際社會必須知道，這些對民主侵犯的本質是具政治性和意識形態，其目的是要推翻一個合法建立的政府。正如反對派主要領導人所言，是以社會仇恨來對抗受熱烈支持的玻利瓦爾革命。這次引起社會動盪的侵犯行為並不是沒有其起源，那些領導人先後於二零零二、二零零四、二零一三，特別是每次革命在大選獲勝之後，例如去年十二月，我們在地方選舉獲百分之七十五、全國大選獲百分之五十六選票，他們都會作出相同的攻擊反對民主。

委內瑞拉與其他社會一樣都會存在問題和挑戰，譬如公民的安全和經濟生產力發展。在這方面，馬杜羅總統的政府一直努力不懈地、不排除對話，按照國家憲法和法律的框架內展開大型對話，以包容為核心地去促成和平。

為達致此目的，他已召集全國各階層參與全國和平會議，其號召已獲得所有宗教團體、商界東主、不同政見的政治家、知識份子、藝術家、工人和我國絕大多數熱愛和平以及希望有民主生活的國民所歡迎。我們相信，和平的價值將會戰勝暴力的烙印。真理將會戰勝生活、博愛戰勝仇恨。

最後，主席先生，女士們，先生們，世界各國政府的代表們，我國是願意遵守國際人權公約、南美共同市場亞松森議定書關於促進和保護人權的承諾、南美洲國家聯盟組織條約附加議定書中關於民主的承諾以及我國同意的其他條文。

我們願意回應人權理事會及其他機構的任何查詢，但我們不能接受那些我國並沒有向他們作出過任何承諾的政府或國際組織的評估、壓力和單方面的判斷。

超過一百年來，委內瑞拉並沒有經歷任何的內戰。我們唯一的戰爭是在二百年前發生的爭取獨立戰爭。

我們要求國際社會支持我國人民為保衛民主的委內瑞拉的和平與平等所作出的努力。我們感謝獨立的政府和世界人民，他們在這種環境下仍表示積極的聲援。

在二零一二年十二月八日，查韋斯指揮官在他於二零一三年三月五日逝世前的數個月，他向人民作出最後的致辭時表示：「在任何情況下，我們必需保證玻利瓦爾革命的進程，這場革命的勝利進展是按照由人民於制憲大會的規定建設新的民主，把委內瑞拉步向社會主義、擁有大量的參與、廣泛的自由、完全的自由」。這也是馬杜羅總統的政府的承諾，保護我國人民在和平中生活亦是我們的職責。

非常感謝！

資料來源：委內瑞拉玻利瓦爾共和國駐香港總領事館

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Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Statement by the Ministry of the People’s Power for Foreign Affairs, Elías Jaua Milano

Mr. President, members of the Human Rights Council Board of Directors,
Full members and Observers of the Human Rights Council,
Members of the Secretariat,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I extend warm greetings on behalf of the Venezuelan people and our constitutional President Nicolás Maduro Moros.

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela attends this meeting, for the second year as an elected member of this respectable Council. We come here to reaffirm our support to the institutional character of the Human Rights Council, as it was established to cooperate with States, in a transparent and constructive way.

In this regard, Venezuela is contributing to the deliberations by the Council Review Working Group, and our stand coincides with the vision of the Non-Aligned Movement, a group that Venezuela will responsibly lead as of the second half of 2015.

We ratify our satisfaction at the work being done by the Human Rights Council Universal Periodic Review, as a unique process that involves the assessment of human right status in the 193 Member States of the United Nations Organization, which offers all States the chance to report on the actions that they have been carrying out to improve the human rights situation as well as to fulfil obligations entered into and point out challenges.

The Bolivarian Government of Venezuela is currently working on the implementation of commitments undertaken by Venezuela during the submission of its Review in October 2011, so as to comply with 100% of recommendations suggested and accepted, by the second cycle presentation in 2016. We are preparing the defense for the reports submitted to the corresponding Treaty Bodies.

It should also be pointed out that Venezuela firmly rejects the use of human rights for purposes that do not correspond to their true nature, and as a vehicle to make political interests advance, especially by powerful countries, undermining the understanding between nations as well as breaking principles and norms enshrined in the United Nations Charter, to the detriment of international peace.

Mr. President, Venezuela does not normally present its achievements and challenges at these international fora, since we believe in the importance of prioritizing, at these meetings, a multilateral agenda in favour of human rights, democracy and world peace.

Nevertheless, given the international campaign of lies and falseness that present our Homeland as a country in chaos and civil war, I am forced to speak on behalf of the right to peace and dignity of a free people as the Venezuelan people.

Our people are an illiteracy-free people, as certified by UNESCO; hunger here is no longer a fatality, as recognized by FAO in 2003; all the people participating in public and free education have received computers with internet access, which has earned us a UNESCO award last year; a people with a beautiful cultural tradition, who has gained a recognition in 2012 and 2013 as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for two of Venezuela’s most important cultural expressions.

Mr. President, in 15 years of democratic revolution, our country has carried out 19 electoral processes (presidential, local, parliamentary, consultative, recall and approval referenda). The Bolivarian democratic revolution has won 18 of these 19 electoral processes.

In a decade, we have reduced overall poverty by 25%, and misery rates to only 5% of the population. Venezuela is the country who has reduced inequality the most, according to United Nations data which makes it the least unequal nation in Latin America and the Caribbean, as measured by the Gini Coefficient.

Mr. President, Representatives, the recent National Youth Survey, a huge X-ray on young Venezuelans today, with more than 10,000 personal interviews nationwide to young women and men between 15 and 19 years of age, shows the following results:

• 60% believe that socialism is the best system, compared to 21% who prefer capitalism.
• 77% want to stay in the country, against only 13% who say they want to leave.
• 90% think their studies offer “many or a lot of opportunities”.
• 93% believe they can aspire to a better job.

As we see, it is not true that most young people are against the deomocratic socialist model in our country.

On the 2013 Latin American Barometer Report (Latinobarómetro), which reflects the majority support by the Venezuelan population to their democracy, is also expressed that “Venezuela is at the centre of controversy as the country where there exists the greatest distance between what its citizens say and what the international community says about its democracy”.

The reason is, undoubtedly, that powerful national and international media laboratories are used to carry out psychological systematic war against my country. Negative news coming out of Venezuela is amplified.

Communication propaganda and agitation from some very powerful national and transnational private media corporations, backed by spokespersons of governments who have transformed human rights into a punishment weapon against independent governments, have attempted to show that there is generalized chaos situation in our country, indiscriminate and disproportionate repression from the authorities against the people, in order to justify a foreign intervention in internal affairs and promote unfair disapproval and sanctions.

It is constantly said and repeated that there is brutal repression to pacific protesters. It is necessary to point out that a pacific demonstration is a “public gathering, generally outdoors, where participants claim something or express their complaints”.

To the Bolivarian revolution, pacific demonstrations constitute one of the people´s direct forms of participation, since they promote the need for plurality and disagreement necessary in a democratic political system. For that reason, we promote it and guarantee it.

But the right to demonstrate is not absolute. It is subject to a pacific form of expression and the non-use of weapons.

During the last month, the Venezuelan people have been subjected to continuous harassment; in an attempt to besiege us as a State who violates human rights, to drag our peaceful tradition and vocation. Trained groups, in the name of the legitimate right to demonstrate, have violently closed public roads, blocking free transit to exercise the right to work, education, food purchases, transfer of sick people to health care centres. These people have set fire to vehicles that transport food, destroyed public offices, attached ambulances, mass transport vehicles and their users, and vehicles at vital public services facilities such as electricity, phone and public security. These groups have promoted xenophobic, racial and social intolerance attacks.

Owing to this, the legal authority – in its capacity to contain, under the standards of proportional and differentiated use of public security forces-, to assault and avoid responsibilities and the legitimate right of the State to restore order for the benefit of the immense majority of people who wish to live in peace. 51 law-enforcement officials and members of the Bolivarian Armed Forces have been wounded, most of whom by guns of different type and calibre. One of them, Sergeant Giovanni Pantoja, from the Bolivarian National Guard, died last Friday ambushed by and armed group while on duty to restore free traffic in a residential area.

Mr. President, it is necessary to specify the scale of these violent acts and their consequences. To this day, these actions have been registered in urban upper-middle class areas, in 18 municipalities, out of the 335 municipalities constituting the national territory. 18 people have died, just 3 of whom presumably due to the illegal action by police officers, who have been brought to justice. Only 73 people remain in jail, charged with offences of aggression to people, destruction of public property and murder. All of them have been brought to court with the corresponding guarantee to due trial.

The international community must know that the nature of this aggression against democracy is political and ideological, and that its goal is to overthrow a legitimately established government, as expressed by the main opposition leaders, with a highly charged social hatred against popular sectors supporting the Bolivarian revolution. This aggression does not have its origin in social unrest. Its leading actors are those who led the same kind of attacks against democracy in the years 2002, 2004, 2013, and particularly after each electoral victory by the revolution, as seen last December, when we obtained 75% of local office and 56% of national votes.

Venezuela, like any other society, has problems and challenges, such as citizen security and economic productive development. In this direction, the government of President Nicolas Maduro has tirelessly fostered dialogue without exclusion. It is fostering peace as the core of an inclusive, large dialogue within the framework of the National Constitution and laws.

To that effect, he has convened all sectors of national life to participate in a National Conference for Peace. His call has been welcomed by all religious groups, business owners, politicians of diverse ideological trends, intellectuals, artists, workers, and the immense majority of our people, who love peace and want to live in democracy. We are confident that the values of peace will prevail over violence stigmas. Truth will prevail over life; fraternity over hatred.

Finally, Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, Representatives of governments of the world, we ratify our willingness to comply with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the Asuncion Protocol on the Commitment to Promote and Protect Human Rights of MERCOSUR, the Additional Protocol to the Constitutive Treaty of UNASUR on the Commitment to Democracy, and other instruments validated by our country.

We are willing to respond to any requirements from this Council of Human Rights and other relevant bodies. But we do not accept either assessment, nor pressure or unilateral judgment by governments or international organizations to whom we do not have any commitment.

For more than 100 years, Venezuela has not endured any civil war. Our only war against a nation took place more than 200 years ago to attain our Independence.

We request that the International Community supports the effort by the democratic Venezuelan State to defend peace and equality obtained by our people. We thank independent governments and peoples of the world, for their active solidarity expressed under these circumstances.

On December 8, 2012, Commander Hugo Chavez, nearly three months before his death on 5 March 2013, while offering a last message to the people, expressed: “Under any circumstances, we must guarantee the progress of the Bolivarian Revolution, the victorious advance of this Revolution, building the new democracy which is ruled by the people in Constituent Assembly; building the Venezuelan path towards socialism, with large participation, broad freedom, in full freedom.” This is the commitment of the government of President Maduro. And protecting the right of our people to live in peace is our duty.

Thank you very much.

Source: Consulate General of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela in Hong Kong