Good day for freedom in the Americas: OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro re-elected

The re-election of OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro today to the Organization of American States for a second five year term is good news for the Americas and especially Cubans and 
Venezuelans who wish to live in freedom. 

Congratulations Secretary General Almagro. #AlmagroYouStayInTheOAS 

#OASassembly Re-elects @Almagro_OEA2015 as Secretary General and @NestorMendezOAS as Assistant Secretary General of the #OAS

📰 https://t.co/rN2PulGgRF
📸 https://t.co/ZSApRuc9OX
📹 https://t.co/SDxiLPPJGR pic.twitter.com/VBCJSRaBoq

— OAS (@OAS_official) March 20, 2020

Secretary Almagro understands the reality in Venezuela, and is campaigning against the Maduro regime being a member of the UN Human Rights Council.

The OAS Secretary General also understands the debt owed by the rest of the Americas to the Cuba, and the reality that exists under the Castro dictatorship on the island today.

We welcome his continued solidarity with these two peoples seeking to be free.

Organization of American States holds Conference on Human Rights in Cuba

"We must take into account the violence being spread by the Cuban dictatorship. We can set out some examples to clarify. In Venezuela, this year the presence of the Cubans in the torture of people has been documented. It is estimated that the Cuban presence in Venezuela is 46,000 people, an occupation force that teaches torture and repression, that does intelligence work, that does civil documentation and migration work." -  Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the Organization American States, December 7, 2018

On December 7, 2018 the Organization of American States held a Conference on Human Rights in Cuba that spanned the entire day. Below are the videos of the morning and afternoon sessions. It was a historic day that highlighted the human rights record in Cuba and how it negatively impacts the region.

Morning session



Afternoon session

The testimonies provided in these videos are of great importance and required viewing. Please share with others.

Night Comes to Venezuela: Electoral Farce in Venezuela

"Support Venezuelan democratic institutions that must today work in exile. - Luis Almagro, General Secretariat of the OAS

My message on the elections held yesterday in #Venezuela #OEAconVenezuela #OEAwithVenezuela https://t.co/idjeYNlxHd pic.twitter.com/EymRFvARMs

— Luis Almagro (@Almagro_OEA2015) October 16, 2017  

Message from the Secretary General on Venezuela

October 16, 2017

Yesterday gubernatorial elections were held in Venezuela. We are not going to comment on the irregularities in the process, given that they repeat the same variables of illegality, uncertainty and fraud that we have been denouncing since our first communication to the president of the National Electoral Council, Tibisay Lucena, in November 2015. We reiterate these same complaints regarding the election process for the National Constituent Assembly or the annulment of the recall referendum.

Today we would have liked to greet the winners and welcome the completion of a civic celebration. However, we have to express skepticism and denounce the lack of guarantees that take place over and over in elections held by dictatorships.

The General Secretariat of the OAS rejects all of these illegitimate acts carried out by illegitimate governments, and condemns in particular, once more, the abuses of the civil and political rights of the Venezuelan people by the regime.

The results of an election in a country with no guarantees for the effective exercise of democracy cannot be recognized. It is clear that any political force that agrees to go to an election without guarantees becomes an essential tool of the eventual fraud, and shows that it has no democratic reflexes to protect the rights of the people, in this case, the right to the vote.

This type of act is not new: it first happened when the recall referendum was annulled and it was repeated when the results of the July 16 consultation were not respected.

This is an important lesson for everyone, for the political leadership of Venezuela and for the international community.

These are the only kind of results we can expect – fraud and human rights violations – if the political strategy and acts distance themselves from democratic principles and values in favor of easy and circumstantial agreements.

No election in Venezuela will provide guarantees to voters unless it is carried out with qualified electoral observation – in particular by this Organization – that ensures a transparent and legal process.

In order to generate a democratic reconstruction in the country, the opposition political leadership must unite with the people and those few leaders who, in accordance with their principles, understood at all times that the citizens of Venezuela want freedoms and are not willing to follow the rules of the dictatorship.

We consider that it is no longer the time for resolutions or declarations, although we appreciate that the last ones made have been conclusive and reflect more accurately the agenda we proposed on May 30, 2015: general elections, freedom for all political prisoners, the separation of powers and respect for institutions, and the opening of a humanitarian channel.

The General Secretariat of the OAS, for its part, will continue along the lines of action that have been announced:

a) Continue the processes underway to determine the evidence for crimes against humanity by the authorities of the regime in Venezuela;
b) Promote and legitimize the application of sanctions against the Venezuelan regime; and
c) Support Venezuelan democratic institutions that must today work in exile.

Reference: S-031/17

OAS Secretary General Condemns New Imprisonment of López and Ledezma

"The Venezuelan regime continues to escalate its use of repression." - Luis Almagro, Secretary General of the OAS

Antonio Ledezma and Leopoldo López taken in the middle of the night

Secretary General Condemns New Imprisonment of López and Ledezma

  August 1, 2017
The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, today condemned the new imprisonment of Antonio Ledezma and Leopoldo López:

“This latest action taken without the minimum guarantees of any legal framework is completely harmful to the human rights of both leaders and their families.

In both cases, the detentions are carried out instilling fear and intimidation of their families.

The Venezuelan regime continues to escalate its use of repression.

On Sunday there were 16 indiscriminate murders of citizens who protested against a fraudulent election and the installation of an illegitimate national constituent assembly.

Today there was the selective targeting of opponents. The regime is trying to silence Ledezma and López and, through them, silence and subdue an entire people. It is no accident. They are opposition political leaders in a framework of the social, political and economic crisis of a Venezuela that is suffering to return to democracy.

There are no legal rationale for Ledezma and López to be in jail. This is the same lack of rationale used in the cases all political prisoners.

The justifications are arbitrary and unlawful, among other things because they ignore the health concerns- which have not changed- that led to the leaders’ release, because they imply that they were planning an escape, or because they broke a prohibition of making public declarations.

These are errors in the manipulation and use of the law that are made by the Regime. They are imprisoned because they are politicians who demonstrate leadership. They are imprisoned because they are hostages of the government.

I urge the international community, the countries of the OAS, the United Nations, the European Union and the Vatican, among others, to continue to adopt measures to defend democracy and human rights in Venezuela.

We admire the determination and courage of the Venezuelan people, the strength shown in the face of danger by the young people who protest, the women who march, the doctors who care for those injured by the repression, the religious figures who call for a stop to the repression, the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, who denounce these facts every day.

Our international solidarity can only be with those who claim their rights and not those who deny and repress them, those who are tortured and not their torturers, the victims and families of the victims and not their murderers.

For the corrupt, the murderers and the torturers, the international community must reply with the greatest severity.

In Venezuela today we are faced with a dictatorship that is afraid of its people and of international sanctions for their criminal actions. The way to overcome fear is not to harden repression, not to imprison political leaders, not to continue to violate the human rights of the people. If there is more repression and human rights violations, the actions and sanctions of the international community will have to be tougher. It is clear, repression does not stop the people, it strengthens their determination and makes their protest that much more necessary.

I reiterate that the only possible solution in Venezuela is an immediate call for full elections, including national and international electoral observation, the end of the repression, the release of all political prisoners, the restoration of the powers of the National Assembly, the opening of a humanitarian channel, and the cancellation of the fraudulent National Constituent Assembly. The mechanism for this is a negotiated exit between the regime and the opposition, one that includes Antonio Ledezma and Leopoldo López. A negotiation in which includes the Venezuelan Episcopal Conference, and uses the best mechanisms of the hemispheric community for monitoring political commitments. A peaceful path toward peace and a democratic path toward democracy in Venezuela.”

Reference: E-060/17

Venezuela: Protests continue as Maduro's forces kill more students

"Years selling us the idea that all the weapons of war they bought was to fight the gringos, it turned out to be that it was to kill ourselves," Juan Pablo Pernalete, student age 20, murdered by Maduro's political police

Juan Pablo Pernalete, age 20 murdered by Maduro's political police

The situation in Venezuela continues to deteriorate as the Maduro regime announces that it will leave the Organization of American States to avoid having its anti-democratic behavior called into question as it's repressive forces kill more students.

Marching in memory of Juan Pablo Pernalete and other fallen students

Juan Pablo Pernalete, a 20 year old college student majoring in economics, was shot and killed by Maduro's Bolivarian National Police on April 26, 2017 and a day later thousands took to the street to honor his memory. Juan Pablo was a youtube sensation who had a presence on twitter with a photo of his girlfriend, Fabiana Marchesini, who now mourns for him.

Juan Pablo Pernalete with his girlfriend Fabiana Marchesini

The killings are meant to terrorize and break the spirit of the young protesters. Maduro and his Cuban handlers have apparently misjudged the situation and a child of a prominent regime official has taken to the streets and to social media to call out his dad to do the right thing and denounce the violence.

The narrative of the Castro and Maduro regimes in Latin America that all the evils of the world are due to the United States is breaking down before the cruel reality both are inflicting on Venezuela's youth in the name of 21st century socialism.

The nonviolent struggle by the student movement in Venezuela is shaking the pillars of power of the Maduro regime now is the time to step it up not abandon it.  Maduro and his Cuban masters know how to deal with violence, but are at a disadvantage confronting a nonviolent opposition.  
 

Castro regime refuses entry to former Mexican President Felipe Calderón and Chilean Minister Mariana Aylwin to attend Oswaldo Payá Prize ceremony

OAS Secretary General and Chile's President Patricio Aylwin to be presented Oswaldo Payá Liberty and Life Prize in Havana

Rosa María Payá with President Patricio Aylwin and Secretary General Luis Almagro

Former president of Mexico Felipe Calderón banned from entering Cuba by the Castro dictatorship's immigration authorities announced the news in a series of tweets on February 21, 2017. First that "I am also invited to the anniversary of the death of Oswaldo Payá. I ask the Cuban government to rectify this absurdity and allow us to remember it. In a later tweet embedded below cited AeroMexico: "We are informed by Immigration of Cuba that FCH passenger is not authorized to enter Cuba and requests that he not be documented in flight AM451."

AMX: Nos informa Inmigración de Cuba que pasajero FCH no está autorizado para entrar a Cuba y solicita que no sea documentado en vuelo AM451

— Felipe Calderón (@FelipeCalderon) 21 de febrero de 2017

This is the first time that a former Mexican President has been denied entry to Cuba reports journalist Joaquín López-Dóriga.  Other high ranking officials from Latin America have also beeen barred from entering Cuba. Last night, February 20, 2017 at 9:15pm, Mariana Aylwin, daughter of the former Chilean president Patricio Aylwin tweeted "I can not embark to Cuba because of a ban issued by immigration from Cuba." A short while later Rosa María Payá posted the document prohibiting Mariana from traveling to Cuba by order of the Castro dictatorship's immigration department.

"Please don't invoice or send passenger who is inadmissible in Cuba. Information issued by Cuban immigration"

 Rosa María Payá Acevedo returned to Cuba on February 15, 2017 to receive Luis Almagro, the Secretary General of the Organization of American States at her home a week later on February 22, 2017 at 11:00am in Havana, Cuba.  The purpose of the encounter is the presentation of the annual Oswaldo Payá Liberty and Life Prize to Luis Almagro also present at the ceremony will be Mariana Aylwin, daughter of the former Chilean president Patricio Aylwin who will receive the posthumous award on behalf of her late father. Patricio Aylwin was the president who oversaw the democratic transition in Chile following General Pinochet's military rule and passed away on April 19, 2016.
 
Unfortunately the repressive nature of the regime was already on display with Julio Álvarez and Félix Fara two promoters of the Cuba Decide initiative, a campaign for a plebiscite led by Rosa María Payá Acevedo, were taken and have been under arrest since February 18, 2017 at 11:00am.

In addition communication has become much more difficult with the telephones out of service and all matter of obstacles to prevent that the information surrounding this event be made known inside Cuba. Despite this there is optimism that the word has gotten out and that civil society will be well represented on Wednesday.

Rosa María Payá Acevedo laying a flower at her dad's tomb

What can you do?
First sign a petition supporting this event and secondly let others know what is happening and encourage them to follow Rosa Maria over twitter, demand the release of Julio and Félix, the restoration of communications, and keep an eye out between now and February 22nd and follow the awards ceremony in real time. This event is being hosted by Cuba Decide and the Latin American Youth Network for Democracy.


The Castro dictatorship shows no indication of opening up and the denial of entry to President Patricio Aylwin's daughter is an outrage. Will it be repeated with OAS Secretary General Luis Almagro? We must be vigilant and hold the regime accountable for what it does next.

Venezuela: “The recall referendum belongs to the people, as does the freedom to demand it”, says OAS Secretary General

  September 23, 2016

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro, today said the National Electoral Council (CNE, for its initials in Spanish) of Venezuela is “obstructing a constitutional right and acting with a clear political bias” in announcing the rules and the timetable that will govern the process for the recall referendum sought by the opposition, and demanded that the referendum be held in 2016.

“The recall referendum belongs to the people, and it is up to the CNE to ensure the guarantees for the free expression of the people, instead of curtailing and trying to annul their rights,” stressed the Secretary General.

Luis Almagro said the dates announced by the CNE are “one more maneuver to delay the process and to impede the holding of the recall referendum this year. Constitutional deadlines cannot continue to be violated, the will of the voters cannot continue to be manipulated, it is completely unacceptable that there are attempts to cut civil and political rights through biased interpretations by the CNE.”

For the OAS leader, moreover, the CNE “arbitrarily and with demonstrated intention changed the rules of the game” by determining that the collection of 20 percent of the signatures needed to convene the referendum must be done at the state level, rather than at the national level: "Electoral bodies do not exist to undermine democracy and act in the interests of the current government; their nature and obligation is to serve as vehicles for the strengthening of the will of the people,” he reaffirmed.

In effect, during the recall referendum against the former President Chávez in 2004, under the same law, the collection of 20 percent of the signatures was carried out at the national level, which makes complete sense, given that the office in question is the President of the Republic, a national office.

“The President of the CNE Tibisay Lucena and its rectors Sandra Oblitas, Socorro Elizabeth Hernández and Tania D´Amelio are showing a high level of undue technical incompetence regarding the responsibilities they must meet. Their role is to ensure that 100 percent of the Venezuelan electoral registry is able to sign, if they desire to do so, not to certify the elimination of the rights of the people,” added Almagro.

“It is urgent that the required number of machines in all districts are present in order to meet the needs of the more than 19 million Venezuelan voters and carry out a fair and proper distribution of districts that does not blatantly favor the position of the government. This decision is unconstitutional, violates the very spirit of the recall referendum and aims to sweep away the last glimmer of democratic hope for Venezuela,” he explained.

The General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) reiterates the urgent call for respect for democratic institutions and rights, while recalling once more what is established in Article 1 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter: “The peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it.” "The right is that of the peoples and the obligation to ensure that right is that of the government," said Almagro.

There is an urgent need today for international observation to avoid further violations of that right.

Reference: E-099/16

Regional human rights group expresses concern over Nicaragua's turn to dictatorship

Democracy's downward spiral continues in Latin America

IACHR Expresses Concern over Removal of Opposition Legislators in Nicaragua

August 8, 2016

Washington, D.C. — The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) expresses its concern regarding the removal from office of opposition legislators in Nicaragua, and urges the State to adopt any measures that may be necessary to ensure the free exercise of political rights in the country.

According to the information received, on July 28, 2016, the Supreme Electoral Council (CSE) decided to unseat all legislators who did not accept Pedro Reyes as leader of the Partido Liberal Independiente (PLI).

On July 30, the Executive Board of the National Assembly acted on the CSE decision to unseat the 16 regular deputies and 12 alternates who belonged to that political party, on grounds that they had refused to recognize Judgment 299 of the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court, which removed Eduardo Montealegre as the PLI’s legal representative and replaced him with Pedro Reyes. With this decision, individuals elected by popular vote to hold office as deputies of the National Assembly were replaced by means of a judicial decision issued in the political context of an election year. General elections in Nicaragua are scheduled for November 6 of this year.

The right to vote means that citizens can decide for themselves and freely elect, under conditions of equality, those who will represent them in decision-making on public affairs, and political participation through the exercise of the right to be elected implies that citizens can run as candidates under conditions of equality and that they can hold elective public office if they win the required number of votes.

The inter-American human rights system, through decisions of the Inter-American Commission and Court, has established that citizens have the right to take part in the conduct of public affairs through freely chosen representatives. The right to vote is one of the essential elements for the existence of democracy and one of the ways citizens exercise their right to political participation.

As the Inter-American Commission and Court have indicated, the American Convention on Human Rights establishes that the full scope of political rights may not be restricted in such a way that their regulation or the decisions adopted in application of this regulation prevent people from participating effectively in the governance of the State or cause this participation to become illusory, depriving such rights of their essential content. Instituting and applying requirements for exercising political rights is not, per se, an undue restriction of political rights, as these rights are not absolute and may be subject to limitations. However, in a democratic society the regulation of these rights should respect the principles of legality, necessity, and proportionality.

Based on the foregoing, if the decision to remove the legislators from office means that authorities elected by the mandate of the vote cannot serve out the terms for which they were elected, this decision could constitute an undue restriction on the exercise of political rights. In this regard, the Commission urges the State to create the appropriate conditions and mechanisms so that political rights can be exercised effectively, respecting the principle of equality and non-discrimination. The IACHR also recommends that the State adopt the measures necessary to guarantee due respect for the powers of political adversaries who have been elected and invested with the people’s mandate.

A principal, autonomous body of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IACHR derives its mandate from the OAS Charter and the American Convention on Human Rights. The Inter-American Commission has a mandate to promote respect for human rights in the region and acts as a consultative body to the OAS in this area. The Commission is composed of seven independent members who are elected in an individual capacity by the OAS General Assembly and who do not represent their countries of origin or residence.

No. 111/16