In response to a February 2010 report issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) regarding human rights violations and intimidation of citizens in Venezuela based on their political beliefs, I published a joint statement with Senator Dodd in March 2010. Please provide your opinion on the performance of the Organization of American States (OAS) in safeguarding human rights in Venezuela. If confirmed, how will you collaborate with the U.S. Permanent Representative to the OAS, Carmen Lomellin, to ensure the OAS addresses these blatant and repetitive violations? The worsening situation in Venezuela should concern all OAS Member States as it is a clear violation of Venezuela’s obligations under the American Convention on Human Rights and the Inter-American Democratic Charter. Many believe the United States should invoke the Democratic Charter. Under what circumstances would the U.S. seek to invoke the OAS Democratic Charter?
Many critics of President Chávez have gone into exile to escape imprisonment. The effort to silence critics arrives at a time when the opposition is preparing for the National Assembly elections in September. Explain your viewpoint on the credibility of these elections given the political persecution of dissenters in Venezuela. Please comment on the objective conditions for this election in light of the highly critical electoral observation reports from the OAS and the EU regarding the 2005 legislative elections.
Provide your assessment of the Venezuelan armed forces in light of President Hugo Chávez’s orders to break diplomatic relations with Colombia. A recent GAO report I commissioned states that at least one branch of the armed forces, the National Guard, is deeply involved in drug trafficking. Please comment on the fact that two out of three individuals designated as “narcos” under OFAC procedures remain entrenched in high-level positions within the Venezuelan security apparatus. It is particularly concerning to hear that one of them, General Henry Rangel Silva, has recently been promoted to the most important operational position within the Bolivarian National Armed Force.
How would you describe the interaction between Venezuelan and Cuban military forces over the years? How would you describe it today? Could you comment on the level of Cuban government involvement in Venezuela’s internal affairs?
Much has been said publicly and privately about President Chávez’s interference in Colombia’s affairs; more recently, Colombian government officials stated that Venezuela harbors up to 87 guerrilla camps used for cocaine smuggling and launching terrorist attacks across the border. Please provide your views… The president of Venezuela, Hugo Chávez, recently threatened to cut off oil supplies to the United States in the event of a military attack from Colombia as the dispute over accusations of his country’s harboring of Colombian rebels intensified. Given that Venezuela, a member of OPEC, derives over 90 percent of its export income from oil sales, primarily to the United States, and that the South American country’s economy would quickly collapse if shipments were halted, could you share your opinion on the president? Chávez’s repeated and grandiose threats to the United States.
In the first quarter of 2010, the Venezuelan economy contracted by 5.8 percent. Haiti, devastated by the earthquake, is the only other country in the Western Hemisphere that has seen its economy contract so far this year. Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA) produced 3.3 million barrels of oil per day (bpd) in 2001. However, a massive strike in 2002, the dismissal of thousands of PDVSA employees that followed, and mismanagement have taken their toll. The government claims it still produces 3 million bpd. Some experts assert that the number is closer to 2.6 million. OPEC says Venezuela is currently producing about 2.3 million. In June, inflation reached 31.2 percent year-on-year. Venezuela imports almost three-quarters of its food, but shortages of basic goods in state-owned grocery stores have eroded Chávez’s popularity. A scandal erupted this spring when officials discovered tens of thousands of tons of imported food that had been left to rot in state warehouses. Explain the implications for the region of a potential implosion of the Venezuelan economy. Provide your views on the financial and trade implications for countries within the so-called ALBA group.
To adequately assess the imminence of economic and political unrest, it is key to understand the financial situation of the Venezuelan government. Please provide your evaluation of the true level of reserves held at the Central Bank of Venezuela. Different estimations have come to my attention indicating that a proper assessment of the existing reserves differs from official figures due to the miscalculation of arrears related to expropriations, payment delays, and possible court rulings against the Venezuelan government. Please provide information on the quality of the bank’s assets in light of the decision announced a few years ago to distance monetary reserves from the U.S. dollar and U.S. institutions, and the possible purchase of debt from politically risky financial allies in the region (Argentina, Bolivia, Cuba, and Nicaragua).
Go and read it all without defining, because, in any case, it indicates that Hugo Chávez’s ‘revolution’ has become unpalatable, even among diplomats, who are generally adept at swallowing the nonsense of the most repugnant characters with a smile. What’s curious, the tip of the hat Pedro again, is that Chávez is ‘protesting’ Palmer’s responses to the previous questions as a sign of interference.