São Paulo Forum denounces attempted military intervention in Venezuela by the US under the banner of “humanitarian aid

The Executive Secretariat of the São Paulo Forum: – Denounces the new actions of the Government of the United States of America for a military initiative under the banner of “humanitarian intervention” in Venezuela and any attempt to solve the crisis that affects the Venezuelan people that is not due to their own internal decision-making processes. – Rejects US attempts at the United Nations Security Council, using the pretexts of the defense of Human Rights and the humanitarian situation to justify its attempts to intervene, while imposing a policy of encirclement on the people of Venezuela under the economic embargo generating economic damage and, as a consequence, the aggravation of the crisis. – Defend the right to self-determination of the Venezuelan people, who elected their government democratically in serious and transparent elections, previously verified by international organizations recognized and praised by the former president of the United States, Jimmy Carter, and more recently by the former president of the Spanish government, José Luis Zapatero, with more than 5.8 million voters. – Reaffirms the commitment of the São Paulo Forum to support peace, in accordance with the Declaration of CELAC, which in January 2014 declared Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace. – Expresses its welcome and support to the Montevideo Mechanism, an initiative of Mexico, Uruguay, Bolivia and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which seeks a solution based on the principles of non-intervention in internal affairs, the legal equality of States and the peaceful settlement of disputes. – Remember that international organizations such as the United Nations and the International Red Cross, of recognized performance in situations of conflict, questioned and expressed doubts about the plan of “humanitarian aid”, and that under the leadership of the US, the wars in Syria, Iraq and Libya , and many others in Latin American and Caribbean nations, had a high price on human lives. We reiterate our support and solidarity to the Venezuelan people, President Nicolás Maduro, and we urge the entire international community to defend peace, dialogue and the right of the Venezuelan people to their sovereignty and self-determination.