Gorbachev and Arias:
The only road to follow is Venezuela's 1999 Constitution

VHeadline.com
Bylined to: Philip Sitnard


VENPRES reports: The political situation confronting Venezuela hasn’t stopped being more than “a war of words,” which must not become anything more than that; national legislation offers a series of peaceful and democratic solutions that must be applied. These are the positions of Mikhail Gorbachev and Oscar Arias, ex-Presidents of the USSR and Costa Rica, respectively.

These two visitors have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize; therefore, the advice that they gave during their stay in Venezuela was centered in the idea that conflicts must be resolved within the confines of the Constitution and the Law, never resorting to violence. “Democracy consists in dialogue and permanent transaction, in knowing when to yield, and that one can’t always get what one wants, rather what one can,” expressed Arias.

Both leaders attended the presentation “Words for Venezuela,” which took place during the inauguration of Ciudad Banesco, a private banking center. Gorbachev affirmed that “if Chavez was elected president in constitutional elections, then he has a legally established government, and this election must be respected.” The ex-leader referred to “the right of the people to self-determination.” They agreed that the best way to resolve internal conflicts is by dialogue, peace, and respect for the Constitution.

As a “sincere friend of Venezuela,” Oscar Arias advised that problems must be “resolved within the bounds of the Constitution and Law, never resorting to violence. Democracy consists in dialogue and permanent transaction, in knowing when to yield, and that one can’t always get what one wants, rather what one can.”

Arias added that in Venezuela’s case, there are constitutional and electoral means. “That is the only road to follow.” He expressed his desire that the war of words end, and that it only be a war of words and not degenerate into anything more, “because to placate the emotions isn’t a bad thing.”

“I believe that communicators pay a very important role in trying to appease those emotions. In life, we must build bridges to unite, and not raise walls to divide. That’s what we did in Central America, and that would be the advice that I leave you.”

Meanwhile, Gorbachev, looking beyond the internal Venezuelan situation, commented that “surely Chavez must have crossed someone in the road, and that person didn’t like it,” because “that person is accustomed to dominating and establishing what he wants.”

Gorbachev made clear his respect for the Venezuelan government and for the opposition, “because both want the best for the country,” recalling that “the only victor must be the people.” He emphasized that a good number of people go through difficult times and one must help them, in the understanding that with solidarity among all peoples, they can find their own solution without the interference of others.

He stated that the world has already experimented with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) model, “and everyone knows where that has led. Now they are trying to impose a political model as well.” He recommended that the people must make their own decisions, and said, “Someone is accustomed to looking at the peoples of Latin America and considering them as part of their own back yard, while here, they are forming national governments subject to world policy.” (This in obvious reference to the United States.)

Gorbachev commented that “the world has rejected all of these attempts to give and receive orders. We have seen that almost the entire world was against the war in Iraq. The United Nations did not give a mandate for the invasion, but nevertheless, the war started. The lack of respect for world opinion and world institutions that work for peace allowed Iraq to suffer a severe blow.”

Gorbachev said that Latin America is now in its “moment of truth,” which consists in giving the people the right to achieve their own sovereignty, and to fight for their rights, considering that even if that country used to have an authoritarian regime, that wasn’t a threat to the entire world.”

“Venezuela had presidential elections. They elected the parliament, but not even God can resolve so many problems in two years, even more so when there are outside pressures,” he said, and concluded that “Chavez surely must have crossed someone in the road who didn’t like him, who was accustomed to dominating the President, establishing his own rules and looking at Latin America as his own back yard.”