At the First Special Session of the UN General Assembly against Corruption, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela reaffirmed its commitment to prevent, fight and punish corruption in all its forms as one of the main enemies in the fight against poverty and development in the consolidation of equitable societies.
Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs Jorge Arreaza highlighted that Venezuela signed the Convention when it was first adopted at the Merida Conference in Mexico in 2003, a date that marked a historical milestone and set the legal foundation of multilateral cooperation in this matter.
«We are encouraged by the conviction that the resources managed by the states and economic, political relations must respond as a sine qua non to public welfare, particularly that of the most vulnerable ones, » stressed Foreign Minister Arreaza in his statement, in which he also explained that the Venezuelan Constitution includes ‘the Participative and Protagonist Democracy that grants the people, through different political, institutional mechanisms, the faculty to control public management’ under the figure of the Citizens’ Power.
Arreaza affirmed that no society is free of corruption. «There is no public corruption without private corruption […] These implemented and normalized schemes of exploitation are the main cause of widespread and invisibilized corruption, and they constitute a serious affront to the backbone of the United Nations, especially Human Rights. »
Blockade as a form of induced corruption
Likewise, Foreign Minister Arreaza said the Venezuelan people must face the consequences of the criminal application of an economic blockade and unilateral coercive measures, which, as unquestionable acts of corruption, have frozen assets amounting to $30 billion that belong to the Republic and that should be used to guarantee the people’s food and health.
«We are talking about a form of induced corruption from centers of power with geopolitical intentions, » said Arreaza, who added that «aggressions against Venezuela have deprived us of companies, funds and financing capacity. »
The Venezuelan foreign minister stressed that the country’s institutions have taken firm actions against corruption in different levels and are permanently improving existing anti-corruption mechanisms based on the Law on Corruption and Protection of Public Assets.
Likewise, Arreaza underlined that «as signatory to the Convention, Venezuela will undertake, from June 7-10, the second phase of the 2016-2021 Review of Implementation of the Convention against Corruption. »
Finally, on behalf of President Nicolás Maduro, Foreign Minister Arreaza reiterated the Venezuelan Government’s commitment to multilateral, bilateral cooperation against corruption and in favor of a transparent public management and equitable political, economic relations in the public and private sphere.