The days when Hugo Chávez could be given the benefit of the doubt are long gone. In fact, the argument that Chávez “has the support of the vast majority of Venezuelans” is now outdated. In recent elections, candidates selected by the president’s government and allied parties garnered 48% of the votes, while opposition candidates secured 52%. This significant electoral victory, in a context similar to Iran, was poorly reported by the media.
Chávez recently concluded another worldwide tour. Some of his hosts have gained various spots in the global gallery of rogues. With Putin, for example, he signed another arms deal through which Venezuela will receive Russian tanks. In exchange, Chávez sold PDVSA’s Ruhr Oel assets to Rosneft, Russia’s oil giant. Europeans are already aware that Putin, like Chávez, is keen on using his considerable influence over energy supplies to gain the EU’s acquiescence on certain issues. If having to bow down to the ruthless KGB agents isn’t enough aggravation, the prospects of S-300 missiles ending up in Ahmadinejad’s hands via his Venezuelan proxy should definitely raise alarms throughout the Middle East.
Chávez is siding with, supporting, and openly engaging in dubious deals not only with rebellious regimes but also with terrorist organizations worldwide. He has appointed U.S.-designated FARC kingpins to lead the army, military intelligence, and investigative police forces—unilaterally, without consultation or the support of the Venezuelan people. Recently, I revealed that Arturo Cubillas, a wanted ETA terrorist, along with Rodrigo Granda, a wanted FARC terrorist, had been granted Venezuelan citizenship by Chávez’s regime in 2004. Once naturalized, both terrorists argued that they could not be extradited to their countries of origin—Spain and Colombia—because Venezuelan law does not permit the extradition of its nationals. Furthermore, there is no hope that extradition requests will even be considered by Venezuela when the head of the Judicial Power claims that the separation of powers “weakens the State.”
A Venezuelan cultural and diplomatic venue in London recently hosted a commemoration of the Second Intifada with the support of Samuel Moncada, Venezuela’s Ambassador to the UK. Leila Khaled, who gained international notoriety for hijacking planes and participating in terrorism, was present. Notorious terrorism apologists like George Galloway, Massoud Shadjareh, and Azzam Tamimi also played integral roles. Frankly, this is unacceptable.
UN Resolutions 1373 and 1624 explicitly criminalize the support and glorification of terrorism. Therefore, celebrating the murder and mutilation of innocents is illegal, a violation of international law. Even Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has referred to the Second Intifada as a grave mistake. So why is Chávez using Venezuela to celebrate terrorists and honor a “mistake” condemned by the leader of the Palestinian Authority?
Venezuela is not glorifying terrorism or fomenting unrest. Rather, it is Hugo Chávez and his cronies who, in their wisdom, have chosen to align themselves with terrorists and rogues. The international community, as well as the UK authorities, should investigate such a blatant violation of international law and side with those who promote democracy through peaceful and legal means.