Media Release:
Re: Political Crisis In Venezuela
The United States, Russia and the rest of the international community are now weighing in on Venezuela's vulnerability. This as a result of this region's failure to address Nicolas Maduro's hegemony and his chronically inept handling of his country’s worsening social and economic crisis which provided no support for his tenuous hold on power. He quickly Rose to what can be called an international pariah, referred to as a dictator by his opponents and also by the heads of numerous foreign governments.
Owing to the fact that Maduro prevented the country’s two most popular opposition politicians; Henrique Capriles and Leopoldo López, from participating in the election, with a voter turnout of only 46%, receiving one and half million votes fewer than he did in 2013 does very little to boost his credibility.
Maduro hascommitted many crimes against humanity. This is evident in a 400 page report sent to the International Criminal Court by Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization of American States.
The report documents 131 alleged murders perpetrated by security forces or pro-government armed civilian groups — known as “colectivos” — during street protests in 2014 and 2017. It identified 8,292 executions outside of the judicial process since 2015 and more than 12,000 people arbitrarily detained since the presidential elections of 2013, including more than 1,300 political prisoners.
The report states, “The widespread and systematic targeting of opponents of the regime or suspected ‘enemies of the state,’ constitute the crime against humanity,” and that “These acts, for which there is no legal basis, did not take place spontaneously or in isolation, but instead reflect a policy put in place by the Government of Venezuela through acts directed by the highest State authorities.”
Luisa Ortega, who was fired after breaking with the Maduro's government, also appeared at The Hague where she filed a complaint, based on the 8,290 deaths she says took place between 2015 and 2017 at the hands of officials who received instructions from the government.
“They happened under the orders of the executive branch, as part of a social cleansing plan carried out by the government,” she told reporters.
“Nicolas Maduro and his government should pay for these crimes against humanity just as they must also pay for the hunger, misery and hardship they’ve inflicted on the Venezuelan people.”
She added: “We have been forced to turn to an international organisation, because there is no justice in Venezuela.”
Against this backdrop and looking at Trinidad and Tobago's policy position on treating with criminals, it's difficult to understand why this present administration continues to recognize, support and sign deals with this criminal. Never were there checks and balances put in place to keep Maduro in line, and Trinidad and Tobago being Venezuela's closest neighbor should have been the one leading this charge.
Contrary to Prime Minister Rowley, we have no sovereign position. As was the case when the Jordanian authorities bypassed us and shared information with the United States regarding our citizens imprisoned in that country.
The blood and the suffering of the Venezuelan people are on the hands of this country's elite politicians and Stuart Young was correct when he said "sovereign states should respect sovereign states but what he failed to point out was that and is absolutely necessary that sovereign states should earn that respect.
Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front) is urging all world leaders to intervene and bring to an end the political crisis in Venezuela by encouraging Maduro to agree to fresh, free and fair elections and to allow for the Venezuelan people to decide their own fate, under the watchful eyes of a special elections observer team, selected by the United Nations. Venezuela's sovereignty has been compromised and as such the only and best way to regain the confidence of a sovereign state is to allow for free and fair elections.
For Immediate Release:
Date: January 29, 2019
Umar Abdullah
Head of Waajihatul Islaamiyyah (The Islamic Front)
Tel: +18683656253 or +18687870765
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