Transcripts For CSPAN Forum Focuses On Political Unrest In V

Captures the levity of what we and be talking about today sums it up in the following ways create where the International Response . Read one just paragraph here because i think confrontation we confront. Than 100 killed and more than 1000 injured. 176 inflation, many basic Food Supplies unavailable, plaster, infant mortality shot despite that, i cant how many who are not familiar with venezuela understand that read the Largest Proven Oil reserves, nine and 10 households from hunger. Ultimately, the international would step in, but that has not yet happened so that is the setting for this willficant event where we dive into the political, economic, and humanitarian crisis in venezuela as well as ways todentify new involve the international , particularly the u. S. And regional actors in seeking solutions to the international crisis. Get muchenges dont more significant than what were in our ownenesola hemisphere. That it that spirit pleasureenormous it is wonderful to have either to discuss issues. Today, after years of economic is social mismanagement abroad in a crisis on all fronts. As i said before that the mans global attention. It willselves the constitution governments benefits. That follows the situation where more than 7 million venezuelans symbolically loaded last sunday to reject this power grab in calls thepposition ingest civic disobedience of world has seen. The International Community has hit an unending series of roadblocks despite the best efforts. The Trump Administration for its has levied additional sanctions on individuals and it is considering a broader set of sanctions. At the learned counsel, we believe now is the time to thate down on an effort lays bare the violations and helps put further International Pressure on the need for change, so we are launching our own venezuela tragedy that will have three prongs. One is laying bare the atrocities in putting forward a new plan emerging from the providing acond is roadmap for regional efforts the third is drawing attention to the actions of International Actors in venezuela and the implications were u. S. National security for an ongoing and longerterm effort. As such, todays event marks the beginning of this effort in our part. We are lucky the secretarygeneral could join us at this Pivotal Moment less than after i think we will hear something about the strike yesterday in the outcome of that as after well. It is now my pleasure to introduce the secretarygeneral who is elected to lead the oas in march 2015. Since he took office, he has led an incredible fight for peace in venezuela. Before coming to the u. S. , he served as your grace foreign minister its a Political Forum probably the most complete in the hemisphere where we have dialogue about rights and the wellbeing of citizens. This based on regional solidarity. The commitment of the hemisphere defending democracy is a way to strengthen relationships between countries and the interamerican democratic charter was a preventive measure when the Member States agreed about the mechanism that would protect democracies, they established a very explicit authority that would act in each of these signatory countries when necessary. This could prevent or stop any democracies and one one of the tragedies of venezuela is if there had been a willingness to apply the charter and to comply with it, we could have perhaps avoided what has happened in the country. In venezuela when you act in defense of democracy, if we had acted in defense of democracy, this would have avoided the situation from reaching the point it has now where it is a security and humanitarian crisis. With the government that has undermined democracy to the point of becoming a real dictatorship. Yes, it is true that venezuela should solve its own problems, however, when the words of civilians and have the Government Act with weapons against them, then we have to reestablish the order internationally we should do this to establish fundamental rights in the country. When the people of venezuela went out to protest for their rights, the government instituted terroristic actions and they have systemically violated disarmed people. They have killed more than 100 people in a 100 days, almost a person per day. The number of wounded goes beyond 15,000, until july 12th, 244 Political Prisoners, the highest in history and the statistics include lose of life as humanitarian crisis worsens because many of them are dying for lack of food and medicines for chronic diseases. Almost two Million People have left the country in the past three years because of lack of of no rule of law than the crisis has worsened. Venezuela has to make a great effort to improve the situation of its citizenry and this is unsufferable for the country. The police, the judges, everybody has been coopted and the country cannot be managed this way. When the violence comes from the government and institutions, then the problem is even greater. When Drug Trafficking is within the state and its institutions, then that challenge is completely new to our continent. So to dismantle its not dismantling a dictatorship but the drug traffickers from the state of venezuela. The venezuelan government has systemically rejected humanitarian aid offers, however, but it has bought arms with the bit of resources they still have. Every death in venezuela should hurt the whole International Community. It is especially hurtful and painful for this hemisphere, its our responsibility to defend the people of venezuela and denounce all human right violations and the violent situation it is going through. Last sunday, the people went out on the streets to defend democracy. 7 and a half Million People called to the armed forces of venezuela to defend the constitution, they asked Government Employees to respect the constitution, they asked for free and Transparent Elections as a democratic solution to this crisis. This is something that should be done by the people. These people went despite of their fear and they were being threatened by the government. The people are claiming all their rights and they should be listened to. And there is more worth in value in those people than all the oil they have, but the government has decided to use torture and leave blood on the streets. Those people cannot be underestimated. The first clue to recover democracy and rule of law is that venezuelan citizenry, no government should forget its people. To govern and opposition, this is the main problem of the government, they do not connect with the needs of the people and to treat the people as amorphous mass that is malleable and mold to your own desire, thats the worst thing a politician should do and that goes for the opposition as well as the government. We have not learned from the previous dictatorships that characterize opposition to democracy in the second part of the 20th century. We didnt learn from that. We would have never allowed this to happen. The oas is the only Political Forum that has spoken about this crisis. It is the only one that is discussing the problem of venezuela permanently. We have luis alfonso de alba who inspired the resolution who was passed on april 3rd which declares that there has been constitutional alteration in venezuela and it calls for venezuela to restore democracy according to the principles of the oas charter and interamerica, so regime had all this impunity to torture, to kill but they dont have that anymore according to what they have said and our voices have to be made louder because we are still going through a process where it is necessary to consolidate, the program that it needs, what we pointed out on may 30th to the permanent council, we presented this and we were trying to revoke, have this recall referendum that was calling for new free Transparent Elections. All Political Prisoners should be freed. The powers of the state should be reinstated. We need an emergency plan to take care of those who are in the greatest need, those who are suffering from lack of food and medicine. And we should also be harsh and contain this to be coherent. There is still work to be done and what we have done has already brought venezuela closer to a solution but the people of venezuela have inspired us to find a solution at the cost of their own lives and those lives should be respected and so should the people of venezuela, thank you. [applause] [speaking in spanish] thank you very much, secretary general. Good morning, everyone, im jason, i lead the Atlantic Council Latin America Center, we are honored to have you here today for the launch of our new venezuela work and please let me, again, applauding secretary general for all of his work every day on behalf of the venezuelan people. [applause] those who know the Latin America Center and Atlantic Council know that we like to focus on positive transformations happening in latin america and many transformations but venezuela certainly not one of them. Whether he do everything here to lay the ground work for a better venezuela, for venezuela that people can live and peace and security and a venezuela thats a partner rather than a blight in the transformation. Lets discuss some of the pressing issues facing venezuela and the International Community and then we will open up to questions. I see this is a full room with many cameras in the back, so i want to make sure that we have time for a few questions from everybody here. Mr. Secretary general, the major governments of the hemisphere, mexico, brazil, argentina, chile, canada, colombia, peru the u. S. And others all support of oas effort to pass a resolution on venezuela last month in cancun. Yet political road blocks, you mentioned a testimony on wednesday before the senate forum Relations Committee that countries that represent just 10 of the population of the americas prevented luis almagro that resolution from moving forward. What in your mind explains that continuing Political Support for the venezuelan government on behalf of that group of countries . [speaking in spanish] that was also asked of me by the senate and my response is the same. The countries have National Interests and due to this sometimes they inspire their actions and they affect the work they do in the international stage. So these International Actions that are based on these National Interests is a constant practice, this country does it as well, almost all of the time. So we cannot judge anyone for acting this way. There is logic for the government, they established strong ties with countries in latin america and the caribbean. They have created economic interests, political interests and so that logic is not easy to undo because when you see them on paper, they seem abstract but in the case of venezuela, we see the practical importance that those principles and values have and what fundamentals values really mean to life of people and social behavior and Political Behavior as we have seen in venezuela, the separation of powers affects the institutions of a certain country and they can be eroded if not taken care of and the republican [inaudible] have also affected the variables. So all of that together does play a role when things come to a certain point, so the countries have made their decisions in a sovereign way and i cannot judge any decision of any country, but this has been an evolution. A broader set of actions in the decision that situation in minnesota. What would be some of the most effective ways and working outside and in addition to the the oas but working outside in addition to the oas that the u. S. Could be most effective, things show less text luis this initiation should be considering . One piece of action under consideration is a potential of Oil Sanctions for example. In your opinion what be some most effective things that this administration could do to really a map of the venezuelan people . [speaking in native tongue] translator im not capable of taking off my secretarygeneral hat. They might kick me out entirely. [laughing] no, its true. So actions taken by the u. S. Administration have been very positive in terms of applying pressure to the regime. That is true. Sanctions applied against the Vice President and against the Constitutional Assembly happen very positive. And we think that future sanctions would be very positive, sanctions are the highest or the strongest International Tool for applying pressure. And we want, we dont believe they should ever be any kind of military intervention. That is absolutely an unacceptable option. So the highest form of pressure is, in fact, to apply sanctions. Sanctions, apply pressure but they in no way resolve issues of internal pressure and a country, however. International pressure can certainly help. Weve seen examples. We saw in the instance of apartheid. External pressures accelerate the fall of that regime but there was also very strong pressure from the inside, people that were committed to the idea of one vote for every show less text Jason Marczak Jason Marczak single person. Went into a pressure isnt there, the extra pressure is not sufficient, and the obvious example of that is the cuban dictatorship. No matter how hard the precious on the outside, it didnt work. People left but there was no pressure. Critically as a talk about theres an assembly, votes will be july 30, 9 days from today. Your top concerns, what might transpire in the next nine, show ten days, if the next couple of weeks, the next couple of months, what are people potentially not talking about that they should be concerned about or not thinking about they should be concerned about as are looking ahead to what might transpire in the short term, in the medium term as well . [speaking in native tongue] translator well, i believe the problems are solved by listening to the people. If the government had to listen to the people, the problems would already be solved. If everything that the people try to express in september and october of last year, if the government had truly listened, then we would be looking at an entirely different situation today. If all the signatures of the people asking for recall had been respected, the situation would be different. What we have now is a tragedy, 100 dead in protests. That is a tragedy. The voice of the people not to be heard, the scale of the tragedy is something that should be paid attention to by the government and by the opposition. So whats the underlying issue here . I always say no matter how many times you chase your care and the circle, your tail still stays behind you, so the focus of negotiations has not always been on venezuela is true agenda. Election, freedom for Political Prisoners, these are the true issues. Thats what the people need. We have some for the government and opposition to reach an agreement on the basis of what the country truly needs. If you could keep it just your name come escalation and quick question. No commentary, please. Fourth, fifth role here on the isle. And the second question then towards the back. [speaking spanish] translator from university, bogota, secretarygeneral, what hope is there in the efforts in cuba at what do you think of the options of maduro giving up our . Power . Another question. Well taken together. Right over on the site, please. Somebody didnt get a seat but gets ask a question. Thank you. [speaking spanish] translator thank you, secretarygeneral. Voice of america. There are some rumors that congress and white house may issue new sanctions involving an oil embargo. If this were to occur would it be effective . Given that this would affect all venezuelans equally and not just the government. [speaking spanish] translator yes, well, the efforts of president santos which he been underway for months, on top of efforts made by other countries as well. In an attempt to help resolve venezuela is crisis. I believe the entire International Community, particularly in the hemisphere, should align with what was set by the venezuelan people. We must resolve specific issues, the issues that the people themselves have highlighted. Thats what needs to happen. People are demonstrating. Fair out in the streets they are out in the street regardless of what leaders tell them, whether government or opposition leaders. So those people know what they want, and that should be respected by those operating within the country and by the players without. That voice was heard clearly july 16. Any manipulation of that come in effort to ignore that sovereign voice will just lead to a repetition of what happened the first weeks of november and december of last year. And its what brought us here. As a time there was an institutional coalition for venezuelan. It was the recall referendum but a different path was chosen. They had been playing game since march last year. So that is the problem that should be, not allow the government to play games, not internationally, not internally. [speaking in native tongue] translator on the other topic of sanctions. Yes, well, we dont see that, we dont see the profits of oil sales benefiting the venezuelan people. The expectations are that, well, we see Child Mortality and Maternal Mortality and child malnutrition being at rates higher than a places like syria. Theyve reached their worst levels in the history of venezuela. They are the worst in the country. We are seeing epidemics arise. They had been e