Havana, February 17 (RHC)-- A statement of solidarity with the people and government of Venezuela, following violent actions unleashed by the opposition in that country, was issued by the organizing committee of the 23rd Havana International Book Fair.

The solidarity message came just before the presentation of a book about a conversation between Cuban journalist Rosa Miriam Elizalde and the general secretary of the Union of South American Nations, Ali Rodriguez.

The statement, which was read by the Vice President of Foreign Relations at the Cuban Book Institute, Edel Morales, expresses the permanent support of the people and government of Venezuela in their struggle to preserve peace and social justice, according to Monday morning's edition of Granma newspaper.

”We strongly reject the fascist violence by certain Venezuelan rightist groups, which are linked to the continental and international extreme right circles, in their effort to pave the way for a new coup in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”

Just two weeks since the Declaration of Latin America and the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace at the recent Summit of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, the organizing committee of the book fair, presided over by Zuleica Romay, rejects all actions against stability and peace in the region, reads the document issued at the fair, which is gathering authors and editors from 42 nations of the world.