Venezuela Brief: Countdown to Tyranny III
by the Menges Hemispheric Security Project.
Geneva – The International Labor Organization (ILO) censored the Venezuelan government’s performance for violating the rights of employers and their associations. ILO Governing Body implemented the recommendations made by the Committee on Trade Union Freedom, following a complaint filed by the Ibero-American Business Organizations (OIE) against Venezuela. Since 2003, OIE has filed multiple charges with ILO to denounce “harassment of businessmen present in Venezuela and their associations, as well as some media outlets,” OIE Secretary-General Antonio Pealosa stated.
“Silence is golden” – Chavez is trying to harass his critics into quiescence.
The International Labor Organization has asked Venezuela to investigate suspected kidnappings and harassment of private sector employers, as well as property confiscations , officials said. A key ILO committee submitted a report recommending that Venezuela address accusations of expropriation of land and measures taken against employers, including the abduction of three sugar producers in 2006.
[More]Acting on a complaint brought by the International Organization of Employers (IOE), it cited suspected harassment of employers’ leaders in hostile speeches by President Hugo Chvez and a climate of intimidation. ILO regrets that the Government has ignored the offer of ILO technical assistance in order to move forward in solving the many problems that exist.
The ILO committee voiced concern at suspected discrimination against the business chamber, Fedecmaras, and called on Caracas to investigate a pro-governmental mob which forced its way into Fedecmaras offices and damaged property in March. Fedecmaras head, Albis Munoz, and eight other employer leaders should be allowed to travel, it said. Her predecessor Carlos Fernandez, who is in the United States, should be permitted to return to Venezuela without risk of reprisals and an arrest warrant against him should be annulled.
The IOE, a Geneva-based body linking employers’ groups in 140 countries, welcomed the ILO decision – which also said authorities should remove restrictions on independent media. “It is recognition of our concerns,” IOE Secretary-General Antonio Pealosa told Reuters. “Fedecmaras was attacked in March by people close to Chvez, who used municipal or official cars. We have their names and pictures,” he said. “The police force was close but remained passive and they didn’t do anything to prevent the attack.”
Concerning the attacks on means of communication, which resulted in the closing of Radio Caracas TV and the harassment of Globovisin, the Government is requested to refrain from interference in the editorial policy of independent communication media , including the use of economic and legal sanctions, and to guarantee the existence of independent means of communication, as this is essential for the exercise of fundamental rights and freedom of expression of employers and workers.
Given the nature of the proposed constitutional reforms, it is likely that Venezuela under Chavez’s iron rule will impose more burdens and restrictions on privately owned businesses.
Venezuela al da: cuenta regresiva hacia la Tirana – III
Ginebra.- La Organizacin Internacional del Trabajo (OIT) censur la actuacin del Gobierno de Venezuela por violar los derechos de los empresarios y de sus asociaciones. El Consejo de Administracin de la OIT adopt las recomendaciones que hizo el Comit de Libertad Sindical del organismo, que a su vez recogi las quejas de las Organizaciones Empresariales Iberoamericanas (OIE) contra Venezuela
Desde 2003, la OIE ha elevado varias quejas ante la OIT para denunciar “el acoso a los empresarios en Venezuela y a sus asociaciones, as como a algunos medios de comunicacin”, dijo el secretario general de la OIE, Antonio Pealosa.
La OIT tambin solicita al Gobierno que deje sin efecto la orden de captura y procesamiento de Carlos Fernndez, ex presidente de Fedecmaras, para que pueda regresar a Venezuela sin sufrir represalias. Adems, pide que se le devuelva la libertad de poder viajar a la ex presidenta de Fedecmaras, Albis Muoz, y a ocho dirigentes empresariales ms y tambin solicita al Gobierno que no interfiera en las asociaciones empresariales “con la promocin de organizaciones afectas al rgimen”.
La resolucin reclama que responda a los alegatos de la OIE sobre secuestros, invasiones, confiscaciones y expropiaciones. “Se trata mayoritariamente de propietarios de plantaciones agrcolas que perdieron sus terrenos y a cuyas alegaciones el Gobierno an no ha respondido incluyendo el decomiso de tres productores de azcar en el 2006, dijo Pealosa. No obstante, el dirigente empresarial seal que la OEI, que agrupa a empresarios de 140 pases, est “satisfecha” por la resolucin adoptada hoy.
Por ltimo la OIT subraya la obligacin del gobierno venezolano de garantizar el ejercicio de los derechos de las organizaciones de empleadores en un clima exento de temor, intimidacin y violencia, instndole a que identifique y emprenda acciones judiciales en contra quienes en marzo amenazaron a dirigentes empresariales, atacaron y destrozaron el exterior de las instalaciones de la sede de FEDECAMARAS. La OIT se lamenta de que “el Gobierno rechace la oferta de asistencia tcnica de la propia OIT para avanzar en la solucin de los numerosos problemas existentes”.
En cuanto a los ataques a los medios de comunicacin, a raz del cierre de Radio Caracas TV y al acoso a Globovisin, se solicita al gobierno que se abstenga de toda injerencia en la lnea editorial de los medios de comunicacin autnomos y que garantice la existencia de medios de expresin independientes, por ser medios esenciales para el ejercicio de los derechos fundamentales y libertades de expresin de empresarios y trabajadores.
Dada la naturaleza de las “reformas” constitucionales propuestas, es muy probable que Venezuela, bajo la mano dura de Chvez, imponga ms cargas y restricciones a la empresa privada.
Mr. Gaffney is the host of Secure Freedom Radio, a nationally-syndicated radio program heard weeknights throughout the country. He is an associate author of highly acclaimed Shariah: The Threat to America and the publisher of over a dozen other books and monographs from the Center for Security Policy Press.
In April 1987, Mr. Gaffney was nominated by President Reagan to become the Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Policy, the senior position in the Defense Department with responsibility for policies involving U.S.-USSR relations, nuclear forces, arms control, missile defense policy and U.S.-European defense ties. He acted in that capacity for seven months during which time, he was the Chairman of the prestigious High Level Group, NATO’s senior politico-military committee. He also represented the Secretary of Defense in key U.S.-Soviet negotiations and ministerial meetings.
From August 1983 until November 1987, Mr. Gaffney was the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Nuclear Forces and Arms Control Policy under Assistant Secretary Richard Perle.
From February 1981 to August 1983, Mr. Gaffney was a Professional Staff Member on the Senate Armed Services Committee, chaired by the late Senator John Tower (R-Texas). And, in the latter 1970’s, Mr. Gaffney served as an aide to the late Senator Henry M. “Scoop” Jackson (D-Washington) in the areas of defense and foreign policy.
Mr. Gaffney holds a Master of Arts degree in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service.
Mr. Gaffney’s leadership has been recognized by numerous organizations including: the Department of Defense Distinguished Public Service Award (1987), the U.S. Business and Industry Council’s Defender of the National Interest Award (1994), the Navy League of the United States’ Alfred Thayer Mahan Literary Achievement Award (1999), and the Zionist Organization of America’s “Louis Brandeis Award” (2003), the Western Conservative Summit’s Stephen H. Long Award (2015), the Council for National Policy’s George Washington Military Leadership Award (2016) and the IMPACT Award from Ginni Thomas and United in Purpose (2017).
Mr. Gaffney was born in 1953 and resides in the Washington, D.C. area.
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