The Venezuelan Foreign Minister, Yván Gil, rejected this Saturday the statements of the elected president of the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Rodrigo Paz, who has stated that he is not interested in having diplomatic relations with Venezuela, Cuba and Nicaragua; while he has become closer to Donald Trump’s administration.
Through a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the chancellor pointed out that the message from “Mr. Rodrigo Paz about the ALBA-TCP is a demonstration of ignorance and, even worse, contempt for the history and Bolivarian values that gave life to the Republic of Bolivia.”
Gil noted in the statement that Paz represents the elites who want to turn Bolivia into a colonial one.
As will be remembered, ALBA -TCP announced the suspension of Bolivia of the Alliance.
Below is the full text of the statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
Mr. Rodrigo Paz’s message about ALBA-TCP is a demonstration of ignorance and, worse still, contempt for the Bolivarian history and values that gave life to the Republic of Bolivia. Speaking so lightly about what you don’t know only confirms your disconnection from the people and your alignment with the interests of the elites who always betrayed Bolivia.
You represent the elites who want to turn Bolivia into a colony and you will not be able to, do not try to deceive, you represent them.
It is worth reminding you of something basic: Bolivia was liberated and founded 200 years ago by Simón Bolívar and Antonio José de Sucre, whose ideals are still valid in the fight for the sovereignty of our people. While America honors that legacy, you trample on it to please Washington. His position is clearly anti-Bolivarian, anti-Latin American, pro-imperialist and pro-colonial.
The Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America (ALBA) does not need to explain itself to you; speaks with concrete facts in favor of the Bolivian people:
3 million Bolivians recovered their sight thanks to the Misión Milagro.
More than 1 million learned to read and write thanks to the Yo Sí Podemos program, which allowed Bolivia to be declared a territory free of illiteracy.
Public health, energy cooperation and agricultural development programs were promoted for the direct benefit of Bolivian families.
The international recognition of Bolivia as a Plurinational State with dignity and sovereignty was strengthened.
Solidarity economic relations were built, based on complementarity and not on colonial dependence.
That is real integration, based on brotherhood between peoples, not on the foreign submission that you now defend disguised as “openness to the world.”
Today, just as Bolívar’s presence in Potosí marks 200 years, his denialist speech is an offense to the historical memory of Bolivia and the struggle of the Aymara, Quechua and Guaraní peoples, who never knelt before any empire.
From Venezuela we say it clearly: ALBA is solidarity, sovereignty and dignity. Always with the people; with those who surrender to the tutelage of the United States, never
Yvan Gil
Chancellor of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
