Ambassador Joaquín Pérez Ayestarán, Venezuela’s alternate permanent representative to the United Nations (UN), welcomed the adoption of the draft resolution that changes the frequency for addressing the issue of the Elimination of Extraterritorial Unilateral Coercive Economic Measures used as an Instrument of Political and Economic Coercion.
The meeting was held in preparation for the 79th Session and the draft resolution was adopted by consensus without a vote.
During his speech at the plenary meeting, the Venezuelan diplomat said that the decision adopted “is a step in the right direction, as it opens up the space to sustain within this General Assembly, the main deliberative body for formulating policies and representing the United Nations, a periodic political dialogue that will allow us, on the one hand, to generate greater awareness of this problem of global scope and, on the other, to move towards the complete, immediate and unconditional lifting of these criminal measures that cause so much pain and suffering to entire peoples around the world,” he said.
Pérez Ayestarán took the opportunity to highlight the dignity of the Venezuelan people, stating that “they will continue to overcome the aggressions of a decadent empire and its satellites” while encouraging “all members of the international community to participate actively and constructively in the plenary meeting that will take place during the next session, to consider and debate this important issue that, although with different intensities, affects us all equally.”
He pointed out that “this issue” which currently affects around 30 countries in the world, could tomorrow cause regrettable consequences “for any other country that sovereignly adopts models and policies that are perceived as an affront to the interests of those who today claim hegemonies and exceptionalisms that clearly do not exist.”
The Venezuelan representative concluded by emphasizing that the upcoming plenary debates held on the subject “will result in the achievement, sooner rather than later, of a world free of unilateral coercive measures, where unrestricted respect for the norms of international law and the founding charter of our organization is a reality, in the interest not only of achieving our respective national development plans, but also of the pillars that have supported the UN since its creation almost 80 years ago.”
The measures affect a third of humanity
In his speech, the Venezuelan representative stated that the measures are a reality that cannot be hidden, despite the flagrant violation of the legal provisions of the UN and international law.
“Its effects directly affect more than a third of humanity, but they also directly affect the international community as a whole, as they have generated a systemic crisis that, among other things, exacerbates the current global crisis,” he emphasized.
He pointed out that the issue of unilateral coercive measures cannot be ignored, minimized or hidden, since it would deliberately undermine not only “the fulfillment of the promise we made of not leaving anyone behind, but also the well-being and full development of present and future generations, which have been so frequently mentioned in recent times within this organization.”
He noted that in this regard, the credibility of the UN is at risk, as well as the achievement of the promise of peace, sustainable development and human rights contained in the organization’s Charter.
He added that it is an “ethical and moral” duty to include in all documents that will be submitted in less than three weeks for consideration by the heads of State and Government, “concrete elements that reject the promulgation and publication of these illegal unilateral coercive measures, of a restrictive and punitive nature, which today have become a weapon of intended neocolonial domination and collective punishment against the peoples of nations that have independently and sovereignly decided to be masters of their destiny,” he stressed.
The diplomat added that 931 so-called sanctions have been imposed on Venezuela, simply for “not having yielded to the blackmail and extortion of foreign powers.”
