The social organizations, human rights activists and social movements appreciate the official visit of the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of Human Rights, Ms. Alena Douhan to the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which takes place in a context of worsening aggression by the outgoing administration of the United States government against sensitive sectors of essential public services and the economy of the Venezuelan State, generating violations in the enjoyment of human rights by the population.
In the framework of her visit, the rapporteur held a series of meetings with various actors in the political, social and economic life of the country, to collect data and issue a first-hand report on the impact that the application of the unilateral coercive measures has had on the population of Venezuela.
In this context, it is pertinent to point out that the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed on Venezuela has been formally applied since December 2014, with the approval in the United States Congress and the signing of Law 113-278 by former President Barack Obama: “Public Law for the Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society in Venezuela”, where the possibility of applying measures against Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), the main industry of the Venezuelan State, and against the Central Bank of Venezuela is explicitly mentioned.
These unilateral coercive measures have been systematically intensifying against the civilian population in recent years and have not stopped even in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, generating economic losses of more than 113,000,000,000 million dollars, directly impacting the human rights of all people, while negatively affecting the socio-economic development of the country.
Likewise, these measures violate international law, since they are applied with extraterritorial effects and affect the sovereignty of the Venezuelan State and the rights and interests of the entities or persons under its jurisdiction.
Faced with these unilateral, arbitrary and illegal acts, the undersigned organizations highlight the importance of the visit of the Rapporteur to our country since she will be able to demonstrate first-hand, the negative impact of the UCM on the enjoyment of the human rights of the people, We also request:
1- Qualify the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed on Venezuela as a massive and serious violation to the human rights of the Venezuelan population.
2- To conclude that in the Venezuelan case, the unilateral coercive measures constitute the commission of a crime against humanity and demand to establish the responsibilities of the high authorities of the States that have promoted the blockade against our country.
3- December 2014 is recognized as the formal start date of the economic, financial and commercial blockade against Venezuela, at which time Law 113-278: “Public Law for the Defense of Human Rights and Civil Society in Venezuela”, Was approved by the United States Congress, and signed by President Barack Obama, constituting the basis on which that government has applied other unilateral coercive measures since then. In this sense, that she express her deepest concern on this legal instrument and demand its immediate repeal.
4- Exhort the members of the Human Rights System of the United Nations Organization to call upon the countries that apply these unilateral coercive measures to end the economic blockade against Venezuela, which has produced a general, systematic, intentional and serious violation to human rights to life, health, integrity and nutrition of the Venezuelan population.
Signing organizations and social movements:
1. Plataforma de organizaciones y movimientos contra el Bloqueo 2. Sures 3. Red venezolana de Derechos Humanos 4. La Otra Escuela 5. Movimiento El Otro Beta 6. Corriente Revolucionaria Bolívar y Zamora 7. Movimiento de Pobladoras y Pobladores 8. Frente Bicentenario de Mujeres 200 9. Comité de Solidaridad Internacional (COSI) 10.Fundación Género con Clase 11.Asociación Venezolana de Juristas 12.Fundación Rompiendo la Norma 13.Red Nacional de Comuneras y Comuneros de Venezuela 14.Pueblo en Revolución. Agencia de Noticias del Poder Popular. 15.Utopix 16.Frente Feminista YoSoyMujer. Municipio Plaza Miranda. Estado Miranda 17.Fundación Casa de la Mujer Lilian Cabrera Estado Miranda 18.Promotoras Comunales de Parto Humanizado. Municipio Plaza. Estado Miranda 19.Comités de Igualdad y Equidad de Género. Municipio Plaza. Estado Miranda 20.Movimiento 27 de Octubre 21.Movimiento Somos Caribes 22.Proyecto Cultura Sur 23.Movimiento Ecuatoriano Alfarista Bolivariano 24.Red de afrodescendientes de Venezuela 25.Defensoras Populares de Familias de la Fundacamujer 26.Movimiento Nacional de Amistad y Solidaridad mutua Venezuela -Cuba 27.Comunidad y Cultura, Familia 2000 28.Heroínas sin Barreras 29.Cámara Bolivariana de la Construcción 30.Ejercito Emancipador 31.Consejo de Integración Empresarial Bolivariano 32.Movimiento Madres del Mundo por la Paz de los Pueblos