OEA/Ser.G
16 December
2002
Original: Spanish
CP/RES. 833 (1348/02)
SUPPORT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE IN
VENEZUELA AND THE FACILITATION EFFORTS OF THE OAS SECRETARY GENERAL
THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN
STATES,
HAVING HEARD the
presentation of the Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the Organization
of American States regarding incidents that could destabilize the democratic
constitutional order in Venezuela;
HAVING HEARD the oral report by
the Secretary General on his role in the facilitation efforts concerning the
situation in Venezuela;
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the serious political situation
confronting the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, and deploring the acts of
violence in that country;
CONSIDERING that the Charter of the Organization of
American States recognizes that representative democracy is an indispensable
condition for the stability, peace and development of the region;
CONSIDERING that Article 1 of the
Inter-American Democratic Charter proclaims that “The peoples of the Americas
have a right to democracy and their governments have an obligation to promote
and defend it”; and taking into account the provisions of Articles 2, 3, 4, and
7 of the Inter-American Democratic Charter;
RECALLING resolution CP/RES. 811 (1315/02), “Situation in Venezuela,” of April 13, 2002; resolution
AG/RES. 1 (XXIX-E/02), “Support for
Democracy in Venezuela,” of April 18, 2002; declaration AG/DEC. 28 (XXXII-O/02), “Declaration on Democracy in
Venezuela,” of June 4, 2002; resolution CP/RES. 821 (1329/02), “Support for the
Process of Dialogue in Venezuela,” of August 14, 2002; and the press release of
the Chair of the OAS Permanent Council of December 9, 2002, which
reiterate the willingness of the OAS to provide the support and assistance that
the Government of Venezuela requires to consolidate its democratic process;
CONVINCED that the Forum for Negotiation and Agreement
and the facilitation by the Secretary General constitute urgent, important and
constructive efforts in the search for a constitutional, democratic, peaceful,
and electoral solution, with all due urgency as warranted by the situation; and
TAKING INTO ACCOUNT the Venezuelan Government’s
initiative of promoting and conducting a process of dialogue, without
exclusion, and the facilitation efforts of the Organization of American States,
the United Nations Development Programme, and the Carter Center to find a
constitutional, democratic, peaceful and electoral solution,
RESOLVES:
1.
To fully support the
democratic and constitutional order of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,
whose government is headed by Hugo Chávez Frías, and to reject categorically
any attempt at a coup d’état or unconstitutional alteration of the Venezuelan constitutional
regime that seriously impairs the democratic order.
2.
To lend resolute and
unequivocal support to the Secretary General of the Organization of American
States in his efforts to facilitate dialogue, which include cooperation with
the Carter Center and the UNDP, with a view to finding, as soon as possible, a
peaceful solution to the crisis, with respect for the constitutional order and
in the framework of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
3.
To urge the Government
of Venezuela and the Coordinadora
Democrática to use good-faith negotiations to bring about a constitutional,
democratic, peaceful, and electoral solution in the framework of the Forum for
Negotiation and Agreement, with the facilitation of the OAS Secretary General.
4.
To support the right of
the Venezuelan people to elect their government officials in accordance with
constitutional norms and to express categorically that any situation that
violates the rule of law and the democratic institutional structure in
Venezuela is incompatible with the inter-American system and, especially, with
the Inter-American Democratic Charter.
5.
To urge the Government
of Venezuela to ensure respect for, and to urge all sectors of society to
preserve, the free exercise of the essential elements of democracy to promote a
constitutional, democratic, peaceful, and electoral solution.
6.
To call upon all sectors
in Venezuela to respect the principles enshrined in the Inter-American
Democratic Charter, including, inter alia, respect for human rights, the
rule of law, and transparency and good governance.
7.
To urge the Government
of Venezuela to ensure full enjoyment of freedom of expression and of the press
and to exhort all sectors of Venezuelan society to contribute to promoting
peace and tolerance among all Venezuelans and all social actors to refrain from
encouraging political confrontation and violence.
8.
To reiterate the
determination of the member states to continue applying, without distinction,
and in strict accordance with the letter and spirit of the Inter-American
Democratic Charter, the mechanisms provided therein for the preservation and
defense of representative democracy, and the rejection of the use of violence
to replace any democratic government in the Hemisphere.
9.
To request the OAS
Secretary General to continue to report to the Permanent Council on his
facilitation efforts concerning the situation in the Bolivarian Republic of
Venezuela and bearing in mind the existence of other mechanisms in the
inter-American system, such as the Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of
Foreign Affairs.
CP10628E01