Statement on the Violence in Venezuela

The Trade Union Confederation of the Americas (TUCA), in response to the violent situation unfolding over recent days in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela:

1. Condemns the spiral of violence and deplores the fatalities and injuries resulting from the demonstrations and other scenes where the conflict has escalated. Calls on the state authorities to investigate the killings and identify those responsible for the loss of lives, including the excessive use of force and the violation of human rights by members of the police and military, as well as the criminal conduct of violent groups taking part in peaceful demonstrations.

2. Stresses that peaceful protest is a democratic right that must be respected by the State and exercised responsibly by citizens, but should not be used to provoke violent incidents, not less to justify forced oustings that undermine the democratic order.

3. Denounces the strategy to fuel the conflict being deployed by small violent groups, under the cover of legitimate demands, and to promote chaos, destabilisation, disinformation and uncertainty among the Venezuelan people, with the aim of attacking the democratic regime and its institutions. Also denounces the way this strategy is being fuelled, nationally and internationally, by social networks and major private media outlets.

4. Calls on the government of President Nicolás Maduro and all the state institutions to insist on convening and holding an effective and constructive dialogue with the political and social actors representing the democratic opposition, to end the escalation in violence and build an agenda to address the country’s problems.

5. Welcomes the position taken by the governments of MERCOSUR, UNASUR, ALBA, CARICOM and CELAC, which have reiterated their strong commitment to the full exercise of democratic institutions in response to the critical situation unfolding in Venezuela.

Foto: sebke