Is Leonel Fernandez for sale?

The Global Foundation for Democracy and Development, headed by former president of the Dominican Republic, Leonel Fernandez, has given a nauseating interview to a representative of the illegitimate and corrupt government of Nicolas Maduro, a Mr. Jorge Valero.

Here is the story, with my comments:

Ambassador of Venezuela Speaks at GFDD and FUNGLODE’s Global Roundtable About His Country, Post-Chavez

New York, 5/25/2013

During its online broadcasting program “Global Roundtable,” in May, GFDD New York office cordially welcomed the Permanent Representative of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the United Nations, Jorge Valero Briceño. The Ambassador has extensive experience as a public official both at the national and international levels. His posts have included Director of the National Border Council, Deputy in the Venezuelan National Congress, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, board member of the Investor’s Fund of Venezuela, and Governor of the OPEC Fund for International Development.

My Comment: This introduction is not recommended for diabetics. It is the preamble to a whitewash job, one of those commissioned laudatory jobs we often see nowadays in the “for sale” atmosphere which prevails in Latin America.

The questions that stood at the core of our discussion with Ambassador Valero encompassed current issues in Venezuela, Chavez’s legacy, current instability in the country, President Maduro’s political and economic plans, and international affairs in the context of Latin America.

To begin with, His Excellency cited President Jimmy Carter who said that the Venezuelan electoral system is the most efficient in the world. With the pride in his voice, the honored guest continued that the newly elected President Nicolas Maduro is doing everything possible to unite the people of Venezuela and improve their standards of living. What was accomplished by former president Chavez, including reducing extreme poverty by 70% and unemployment rate by 7.5%, providing financial support for stay-in-home mothers, free health care and free education (college enrollment in the country is the fifth highest in Latin America) will continue “to live as part of the “Chavismo.” For the prosperity of Venezuela, President Maduro has put these policies as the high priority on his agenda.

My comment: The most efficient electoral system in the world, according to former President Carter, has just conducted a new electoral fraud. “Elected President” Nicolas Maduro has proven to be a corrupt, inept apparatchik, incapable of governing, bound to crash in the very short-term. What Valero calls Chávez’s accomplishments consisted of direct subsidies, handouts, that pretended to replace true social programs. Instead, they created a legion of beggars. Now that money is running out, Maduro has been left a legacy of prodigality he cannot sustain. That explains why he lost almost one million votes in less than a year.     

In regards to the economy, Venezuela is trying to bring diversity to its production lines expanding them beyond the oil industry to such sectors as electricity, housing and gas.

My comment: This paragraph is pathetic. Electricity in Venezuela has collapsed. Every week large portions of the country are dark. Housing is a fraud. There is an acute shortage of natural gas that has forced Venezuela to import gas from Colombia. Quite a humiliation, since the gas resources of Venezuela are enormous but have not been developed by the inept regime.

With the national army as a democratic force that supports initiatives to control any kind of unrest in the country, the government manages to keep the violence rate lower than in the US.

My comment: This is probably the most deplorable statement so far.  The Armed Force is led by corrupt officers who have turned their backs on the constitution. They are the main supporters of the authoritarian regime. And as far as the violence rate is concerned, Venezuela is one of the three most violent countries in the world. How can this “ambassador” say that it is lower than in the U.S.?  How can the interviewer accept this statement as fact, without checking it? This statement alone would suffice to discredit the whole interview.  

In reference to the US-Venezuela relations, Mr. Valero asserted that Venezuela will act to pursue its own political interests without accepting “orders/pressure from any other interested party.” Venezuela is a democratic nation of “pueblo democratico” noted the Ambassador, and President Obama made a mistake by not recognizing President Maduro as the legitimate President of Venezuela.

My comment: The April 14^th election was fraudulent. International public opinion has finally realized that the Venezuelan political regime remains in power through illegal means. President Obama’s reluctance to recognize this fraud is to his credit. This portion of the interview clearly reveals its mercenary nature.   

Towards the end of this incredibly informative session, the distinguished guest dwelled upon the role Venezuela plays on the political arena in Latin America. According to Ambassador Valero, the country is a key actor on the continent providing support to other states such as the republic of Haiti. The government’s donations to rebuild Haiti were the highest in the region. In addition, Venezuela, contributing to cooperation of Latin American countries, is the founder of the ALBA, an international organization that facilitates social, political and economic integration of the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, and is part of Mercosur, an economic and political agreement among Argentine, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

My Comment: The role played by the Venezuelan political regime in Latin America, through ALBA and UNASUR, has been that of a prodigal uncle, money being freely distributed to a group of parasitic countries enthusiastically sucking Venezuela’s oil wealth: Bolivia, Nicaragua, Ecuador, Cuba. Even Mercosur has allowed the Venezuelan regime to join ii. The reason, as given by Uruguay’s president Mujica: “Venezuela’s oil is hard to refuse”.  In Latin America money talks very loud.

This organization run by Leonel Fernandez has many contributors in the U.S. I wonder if they ever take the time to find out who and what they are supporting.