The Venezuelan Ambassador to the UN, Héctor Constant Rosales, expressed that, despite the politicized elements, there is progress between this Office and the Government in matters of cooperation. | Photo: @h_constant

Geneva, September 14 (RHC)-- The Permanent Representative of Venezuela to the United Nations and other international organizations, Héctor Constant Rosales, rejected the politicized elements in the annual report presented by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.

Despite these elements, he affirmed that the report demonstrates the progress of cooperation and technical assistance between the Office and the Government of Venezuela.  In the last year alone, the number of representatives of the entity to attend to technical cooperation doubled.

In addition, he expressed that the Office has been provided with all the facilities to carry out its mandate without reservation of the information requested to assess the human rights situation in the South American country.

The Venezuelan ambassador to the UN recalled the technical assistance activities to strengthen the justice system, and in the area of human rights from the elaboration of the Second National Human Rights Plan, with a focus on inclusion and participation.

"These activities confirm Venezuela's commitment to the protection of human rights and our willingness to cooperate with the Office," he emphasized.

Constant pointed out that these elements negatively affect the objectivity and credibility of the report, as it presents information not contrasted with the Venezuelan authorities and with the use of sources of little credibility, despite the fact that the international entity is based in the country.

"We appreciate that the High Commissioner recognizes in her report the negative impact of the Unilateral Coercive Measures on the enjoyment of human rights in Venezuela, and that she has requested their lifting from the countries that impose them", said the Ambassador in the framework of the 48th regular session of the Human Rights Council.

In this regard, he affirmed that, since the previous report, the U.S. government has continued its siege of Venezuela, with the imposition of these measures that cause "death, pain and suffering to the Venezuelan people."

Héctor Constant stressed that, during the visit of the special rapporteur, Alena Douhan, on the negative impact of the MCUs, it was possible to see the havoc caused by the measures in Venezuela.  "We invite you to be attentive to the final report of this visit, which will be presented at this session of the Council," he stressed.

Likewise, he acknowledged that, despite the measures, social investment is maintained in his country with more than 7.5 million families benefiting from the distribution of food through the CLAP Program. Likewise, the Venezuelan Housing Mission has delivered more than 3,600,000 decent homes.  He also highlighted that education, health and sports programs continue to be free of charge, including for migrants and refugees.

"On August 30, we started the acceleration and expansion stage of the mass vaccination plan against COVID-19, tripling immunization efforts, with the goal of vaccinating 300,000 people daily," he said in relation to the Venezuelan government's work in health.

More than 800 personalities and movements made this joint appeal against what they called the measures of "illegitimate, immoral and criminal" character as it constitutes a violation of international law.