Can Chavez respect the Declaration against violence and for peace and democracy?

February 18, 2003

After reading the declaration against violence and for peace and democracy, I can only wonder what they will do with Hugo Chavez in order for the Government to fulfill its part. The declaration signed today by both the Government and the opposition contains eight articles. Let’s see which Hugo Chavez violated last Sunday in his usual Sunday address:


 1) We reject verbal intemperance, recrimination, injuring language and any rhetoric that in any way may contribute to stimulate confrontation. We propose a language of mutual respect, tolerance and of consideration for the ideas of others… Wow! He did not respect a single one of these. Actually this appears to define the anti-Chavez


2) In general we ask for respect for the Constitution and the laws of the Republic. Not even close, on Sunday he asked judges to jail PDVSA people for sabotaging the company, no formal charge has been brought against any of them. He also said if private companies did not want to sell their products and shut down, he would have the military and the people take them over. All of these are simply illegal.


3) We reject categorically all manifestations of violence or intolerance, as well as expressions that may mean offense as a means of discussing political differences. ….We will place all our efforts in creating conditions to strengthen and consolidating a climate of peace and tolerance…. Has Chavez seen this? After all, he is Mr. Intolerance and Mr. Offense.


4) All attitudes should cease that directly or indirectly promote aggression, threats, persecution or violence…. Chavez violates this one every single Sunday


5) We ask the church…..political parties and similar organizations to promote actions and send messages to promote democratic values and the principle of peace, tolerance and coexistence….. If this includes the President as part of his political party, then he violates it everytime he speaks.


6) The parts ratify their total respect to the validity of the rights granted by the Constitution for freedom of speech and information….This is exactly the opposite of the “muzzle” Bill being promoted by the Government to control the media and their actions in the last few weeks against TV stations.


 7) And 8) express the wish to maintain communication between the parts and work towards reaching agreements so they can’t be violated.


Thus I ask, what will happen this Sunday when Hugo Chávez in his Sunday program violates 1) though 6) as he customarily does? Has he read this? Can he even try or attempt not to violate them? I simply doubt it………what then? The only way he may respect the agreement is simply to shut up!

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