Different human rights organizations in Chile, gathered in the Observatory for the Closure of Schools of the Americas, sent a letter to the president of that country, Gabriel Boric, denouncing the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures against the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, which have caused a massive migration of the population to different countries of the continent and the world.
The document was sent to the Chilean dignitary on the occasion of the visit to that country by Secretary of State from Washington, Antony Blinken.
In the letter, the human rights organizations reiterate that “the United States has an important responsibility in the tragedy that the Venezuelan people are experiencing,” and highlighted the visit to the country in February 2021 by the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures in the enjoyment of human rights, Alena Douhan, in which the official urged the US, the European Union and other states to lift the illegal sanctions against the Bolivarian nation.
Likewise, they joined the support for the release of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, who has been imprisoned in US territory illegally since October 16, 2021.
“Their true crime, making purchases of food and medicine to send to Venezuela, contrary to an illegal impediment imposed by the United States,” and they point out that with this arrest the northern country “is violating the Vienna Convention.”
The statement ends with a call from Chilean and Latin American organizations to respect non-interference in the internal affairs of our countries, and insists on the immediate release of “Alex Saab, Mumia Abu Jamal and all political prisoners in the United States, including those from the Guantánamo military base, who have not had fair trials, much less due process.”
Here is the full text:
Santiago de Chile, October 4, 2022
Mr. Gabriel Boric Font President of the Republic of Chile
Present
Dear Mr. President, the Observatory for the Closure of the School of the Americas writes to you in anticipation of the visit to Chile of Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the current US Government.
One of the topics that will be discussed, according to the press, is the migratory crisis. In this regard, we believe it is appropriate to point out that one of the causes of Venezuelan migration to Chile is the unilateral sanctions that the US implements against Venezuela and that affect its entire population.
In February 2021, “the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the negative impact of unilateral coercive measures on the enjoyment of human rights, Alena Douhan, urged the United States, the European Union and other states to lift unilateral sanctions. imposed on Venezuela» (1),
It is evident that the United States has an important responsibility in the tragedy that the Venezuelan people are experiencing and one of the consequences of said tragedy is the migration of its population to third countries.
These events remind us of the intervention of the United States government, through the CIA, in our internal affairs that culminated in the overthrow of President Salvador Allende, in the 1973 coup d’état, and in the 17 years of dictatorship, the worst in our history. Intervention described in detail in the documents declassified by successive US governments. It is also sad memory that the US trained a large number of military personnel in the School of the Americas in torture and counterinsurgency techniques, including DINA and CNI agents.
This tragic and outrageous story motivates us to bring your attention to the multiple destabilizing actions unilaterally promoted by the North American country that have altered peaceful and democratic coexistence in our continent. As an example, the US requested the extradition to Cape Verde of the Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab and he is currently a prisoner in US territory. His true crime, making purchases of food and medicine to send to Venezuela contrary to an illegal impediment imposed by the US With this arrest, the US is violating the Vienna Convention.
We request, Mr. President, that within the topics that are part of the conversation with Antony Blinken, you include the request of a group of Chilean and Latin American organizations to respect non-interference in the internal affairs of our countries, the promotion of multilateralism and in especially, to ask for the immediate release of Alex Saab, of Mumia Abu Jamal, and of all political prisoners, (2) that exist in the US, including the prisoners in the US military base in Guantánamo who do not they have had fair trials and no due process.
Mr. President, we understand that it is necessary and desirable for Chile to maintain diplomatic relations with all the countries of the world, but we are firmly convinced that these must take place in conditions of dignity, equality and respect for the self-determination of peoples.
Sincerely,
Alicia Lira, Group of Relatives of Politically Executed Patricio Vejar, Ecumenical Community Martin Luther King Hervi Lara, Oscar Romero Committee, SICSAL-Chile Pablo Ruiz, Observatory for the Closure of the School of the Americas – Chile Carlos González, Corporation 3 and 4 Alamos , A Park for Peace, Memory and Justice
