Venezuelan envoy puts his job on the line with his words

October 11, 2003

Venezuela’s representative in front of the international Human Rights organizations wrote a report to the Foreign Minsiter essentially blasting the country’s positions with respect to the decisions by the OAS’ Human Rights Comission. Jorge Dugarte, whose job security I am sure is theatened by his report, recommneded that the Government avoid sanctions or be denounced by the Interamerican Human Rights Court. The report tells the Government to report the confiscated equimpent to Globovision as requested by the Interamerican Human Rights Court. Dugarte reminded the Government that in international bodies, such commissions do not discuss the internal laws of the countries, but the respect the countries have with the Interamerican Convention on Human Rights and its regulations. Dugarte said “the contradiction between power and opinion is as old as democracy” and quoting Colombian President LLeras Restrepo said: “it is preferably to have an overboard press than a muzzled press”. I think Mr. Dugarte is certainl;y right, but he is doing what nobody else in the Chavez admisnitartion has been able to do without being fired: telling the President he is not right. The main fault of the Chavez presidency has been that Chavez always has the last word and he thinks he is above the law. I would bet Mr. Dugarte will lose his job very soon.

This entry was posted on October 11, 2003 at 8:05 pm and is filed under Venezuela.

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