Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network April 2015 Produced with the support of the Venezuelan embassy in Australia Letter to the people of the United States: Venezuela is not a threat 2- President Obama abolish the Executive Order that declares Venezuela a threat to U.S. national security, as has been requested by the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). 3. The U.S. Government retract its libelous and defamatory statements and actions against the honorable Venezuelan officials who have just obeyed our laws and our constitution. The following letter was written by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and was originally published on March 17. We are the people of Simon Bolívar, our people believe in peace and respect for all nations. Freedom and independence More than two centuries ago, our fathers founded a Republic on the basis that all persons are free and equal under the law. Our nation made the greatest sacrifices to guarantee South American people their right to choose their rulers and to enforce their own laws today. The historical legacy of our father, Simón Bolívar, is always remembered. Bolívar was a man who gave his life so we would inherit a nation of justice and equality. We believe in peace, National Sovereignty and international law We are a peaceful people. In two centuries of independence, we have never attacked another nation. Our people live in a region of peace, free of weapons of mass destruction, and in freedom to practice all religions. We uphold respect for international law and the sovereignty of all people of the world. We are an open society We are a working people, we care for our families, and we have freedom of religion. Immigrants from around the world, live among us, whose diversity is respected. We have freedom of press and we are enthusiastic users of social media. We are friends of the American people: The histories of our people have been connected since the beginning of our struggles for freedom. Francisco de Miranda, a Venezuelan hero, fought with the American people during their independence fight. We share the idea that freedom and independence are fundamental elements for the development of our nations. The relations between our peoples have always been peaceful and respectful. Historically, we have shared business relations in strategic areas. Venezuela has always been a responsible and trustful energy provider for the American people. Since 2005, Venezuela has provided “heating oil” through subsidies for low-income communities in the United States, thanks to our company CITGO. This contribution has helped tens of thousands of “This is how much I care about your sanctions, Mr Obama” Placard at anti-imperialist rally in Caracas held in the wake of his March 9 declarations. American citizens survive in harsh conditions, giving them relief, and necessary support in times of need, evidencing how solidarity can create powerful alliances across borders. Incredibly, the US government has declared our country a threat to its national security and foreign policy In a disproportionate action, the government of Obama has issued a “National Emergency” declaring Venezuela as a threat to its national security (Executive Order, 03-092015). This unilateral and aggressive measure taken by the United States Government against our country is not only unfounded and in violation of basic principles of sovereignty and self-determination under international law, but also has been unanimously rejected by all 33 nations of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the twelve member states of the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR). In a statement made on March 14, 2015, UNASUR reiterated its firm rejection of these coercive measures that do not contribute to the peace, stability and democracy in our region and called on President Obama to revoke his Executive Order against Venezuela. We reject unilateralism and interventionism President Obama, without any authority to interfere in our internal affairs, unilaterally issued a set of sanctions against Venezuelan officials with potentially far-reaching implications, interfering in our con- stitutional order and our justice system. We advocate for a multipolar world We believe that our world must be based on the rules of international law, without interference in the internal affairs of other countries. We are convinced that the defense of our freedom is a right we shall never give up because the future of the humanity lies also in our country. We are convinced that the relationship of respect between all the nations is the only path for strengthening peace and coexistence, as well as for ensuring a more just world. We honor our freedoms and uphold our rights Never before in the history of our nations, has a president of the United States attempted to govern Venezuelans by decree. It is a tyrannical and imperial order and it pushes us back into the darkest days of the relationship between the United States and Latin America and the Caribbean. In the name of our long-term friendship we alert our American brothers and sisters, lovers of justice and freedom, of the illegal aggression committed by your government on your behalf. We will not allow our friendship with the people of the United States to be affected by this senseless and groundless decision by President Obama. We demand: 1- The U.S. Government immediately cease hostile actions against Venezuelan people and democracy. Our sovereignty is sacred The principles of the founding fathers of the United States of America are followed today with the same dignity by the people of Simón Bolívar. In the name of our mutual love for national independence we want the government of President Obama to think about and rectify this dangerous precedent. We are convinced that the defense of our freedom is a right we shall never give up because the future of the humanity lies also in our country. As Simón Bolívar said: “The freedom of the New World is the hope of the universe”. “Venezuela is not a threat, but a hope” “Independence or nothing” Simón Bolívar ■ Advertisement Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network April 2015 US academics, lawyers say: ‘Obama, revoke the decree’ The following open letter to President Obama was initially signed by US academic Noam Chomsky, USVenezuelan human rights lawyer and author Eva Golinger and Venezuelan expert Miguel Tinker-Salas. Since then a large number of other academics, religious leaders, representatives of solidarity groups and other prominent individuals have signed on. Dear Mr. President: We, the undersigned individuals and organizations, met your December 17, 2014 joint announcement with President Raul Castro of steps to normalize relations with Cuba with cautious optimism. For decades the US has been isolated in its policy on Cuba, both from the rest of the hemisphere and the rest of the world. For the 23rd year in a row, the UN General Assembly voted last October (1882) to condemn the US embargo of Cuba. The UN called on the US to refrain from promulgating and applying laws and regulations which violate the sovereignty of other States, the legitimate interests of entities or persons under their jurisdiction, and the freedom of trade and navigation. We were pleased that the US was finally taking steps to come into compliance with international law. Yet our optimism turned to renewed concern the following day, December 18, when you signed a sanctions bill against Venezuela which appears to perpetuate the same failed policy toward Venezuela that you had just rejected toward Cuba. You hardened that policy on March 9 when you issued an executive order declaring a national emergency with respect to the “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela.” This action also verified that the US is stepping up its support for regime change in Caracas. What is US hemispheric policy given this belligerent stance toward Venezuelan democracy? That is the question being asked by the world media and particularly by the sovereign States and multinational institutions of Latin America and the Caribbean. The Union of South American Nations (UNASUR), which represents every country in South America, said your executive order constitutes a "threat of interference" against Venezuela's sovereignty and calls on you to revoke the order. While politics in Venezuela is polarized and economic disruption caused primarily by the falling price of oil have caused long lines and falling poll numbers for President Nicolas Maduro, we see nothing that could conceivably be described as an “extraordinary threat” to the US or even to Venezuela’s closest neighbors. We note that Colombia, the US’s closest ally in South America and even the Venezuelan opposition have rejected US sanctions. Compared to Mexico and Honduras where state violence is endemic and the rule of law tenuous at best, Venezuela is not at all outside the norm among nations. Venezuela is not at war with any nation, does not have military bases outside its borders, and is helping to mediate an end to the war in Colombia; it is a champion of peace in the region. To call it a national security threat to the US diminishes the credibility of your administration in the eyes of the world. To those who know the dynamics in democratic Venezuela, this US policy stance is dangerous and provocative. To set the record straight, the Venezuelan government is democratically elected. Presidents Chavez and Maduro were both elected in what former President Jimmy Carter declared to be the best election process in the world. (The Carter Center monitors and reports on elections worldwide.) Your executive declaration, however, is likely to be taken as a green light to the most hard line and anti-democratic forces in the country to continue to commit anti-government violence. We call on you, President Obama, to rescind your executive order naming Venezuela a US national security threat. We call on you to stop interfering through funding and reckless public statements in Venezuela’s own democratic processes. And most of all, we encourage you to show to our Latin American neighbors that the US can relate to them in peace and with respect for their sovereignty. Sincerely, Noam Chomsky, MIT Eva Golinger, Human Rights lawyer and author Miguel Tinker-Salas, Ph.D., Pomona College. [A similar letter has been initiated here in Australia by the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign group in Melbourne. If you would like more information or want to add your name please contact Denis Rogatyuk on 0425 800 215.] ■ Over a million Venezuelans sign letter rejecting Obama´s Executive Order Rachael Boothroyd More than a million Venezuelans have spoken out against an Executive Order released by the Obama administration on March 9, which brands Venezuela a “national security threat” and slaps several more Venezuelan state officials with sanctions. Venezuelans have rallied in support of their government since the order was released and over a million have signed a letter demanding that Obama revoke his designation. The letter was initially circulated amongst the public last week by the Venezuelan government as part of a “peaceful” campaign against Washington’s actions. “A country which has eradicated illiteracy, and which has structured all of its policies towards putting an end to the frightening poverty produced by the neoliberal policies of the 1980s and 1990s can’t be a threat,” stated Mayor of Caracas, Jorge Rodriguez, who confirmed that over a million signatures had been collected in less than a week. “We’re going for 10 million… To insist that we are not a threat,” he added. Metro stations and public squares have become more of a hive of activity than usual over the last few days, as volunteers have set up makeshift tables with copies of the petition for passersby to sign. Zulaica Campos, a biologist, has been volunteering outside La California metro station in Caracas since the campaign was launched. “We are here because we really want Mr. Obama, the President of the United States, to revoke the decree in which he says that Venezuela is a threat against his country. Venezuela has never gone outside of its own borders, with the exception of liberating other countries (from colonialism).” It’s not just Venezuela that could be affected by Obama’s order according to Campos, who sees her work encouraging others to sign the letter as a way of protecting Latin American sovereignty. “We are a peaceful people… We will always fight for peace, and this petition that we are supporting is a tool for peace, for Venezuela, the whole world, and especially for Latin America, because we don’t want to be crushed by any other country. We want the U.S. to be a country like us... We know that the U.S. people are noble,” she explained. Maria Ruiz De Alcala, is one of the many Venezuelans who was moved to sign the letter while coming out of La California metro station. “Obama’s measure is against the people. The U.S. is accustomed to invading, causing damage and declaring war. We Venezuelans feel that our problems are our problems, and they should be resolved by us. We have a president who was elected by us, and we demand to be respected. We are prepared to give our lives for this if necessary,” stated Alcala. The petition is perhaps the most important part of a broader campaign to get Obama to backtrack on his decision, entitled “Venezuela is not a threat, we are hope”. Over the weekend the campaign saw the Maduro administration release a video featuring the lyrics of John Lennon’s "Imagine" in order to convince Washington to tone down what it describes as an aggressive position. Reactions to the order have also gone beyond Venezuelan borders, and social networking sites such as Twitter have been awash with global messages of support for the Venezuelan government. The hashtags #ObamaDerogaElDecretoYa or #ObamaRepealTheExecutiveOrder have been trending over the past few days, and have been tweeted over two million six hundred thousand times, according to Mayor Rodriguez. Venezuelan authorities are hoping to collect 10 million signatures for the petition before the Organization of American States (OAS) Summit of the Americas, which is due to be held in April in Panama. It has stated that it will use the event to present the signatures to OAS member states, as well as to Barack Obama who is expected to personally attend. April’s summit is set to follow on from an “extraordinary” meeting held by the organization last week, specifically aimed at addressing the impasse between Caracas and Washington. Several governments from across the continent used the latest OAS meeting to add their voices to the chorus of criticism which has emerged from the region over the past week. “We have been clear in both UNASUR and CELAC (Community of Latin American and Caribbean States). We reject unilateral sanctions, we think that sanctions from one country against another achieve nothing,” stated Colombian Foreign Minister, María Ángela Holguín, according to Colombian news site, Caracol. Although Washington has yet to officially respond to the campaign, U.S. delegate to the OAS meeting, Michael J. Fitzpatrick, stated that the Executive Order had been “taken out of context.”. [First published on Venezuela nalysis.com] ■ Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network April 2015 Solidarity in action Sydney rally defends Venezuela against US threat Melbourne: Venezuela Solidarity Campaign launched Denis Rogatyuk A new solidarity group, the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (VSC) has been established in Melbourne following the “Bolivarian revolution continues” conference held in November 2014. The group brings together Latin American Solidarity Network (LASNET), Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN), Australia-Cuba Friendship Society, the Maritime Union of Australia (Victoria branch), the friends of the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) in Melbourne, Chile Solidarity Coalition, Socialist Alliance and others. The solidarity campaign has so far organised a number of events in support of the Bolivarian government and in defence of Venezuela’s sovereignty. VSC organized a commemorative event in Trades Hall to commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the February 4 military rebellion led by Hugo Chavez, which included a screening of the “Viva Venezuela” documentary. Nelson Davila, the Venezuelan Ambassador to Australia, gave a thorough outline of the February 4 military rebellion, an event that is today seen as a defining moment in the history of the Bolivarian Revolution. Davila also spoke about the current situation in Venezuela regarding renewed attempts at an unconstitutional regime change by the country’s right-wing opposition. To commemorate the passing of Hugo Chavez, the group organised a forum on March 5 to remember the legacy of Chavez in Latin America and throughout the world. Danesh Chako, a member of the 2014 Venezuela Solidarity Brigade, Kevin Bracken, Victorian Secretary of the MUA, and Martin Zapata, a Bolivian activist and researcher, spoke as part of a plenary discussion on the night. At the end of the forum, a toast was given to remember the passing of the Comandante Following US President Barack Obama’s declaration that Venezuela was a “threat to national security”, VSC decided to build a protest on April 11, outside the State Library. The protest will be mark the 13th anniversary of the failed coup against Chavez, as well as demand the reversal of Obama’s executive order. ■ 120 UK politicians tell US to back down From Venezuela order TeleSUR More than a hundred top British lawmakers have signed a statement opposing “any U.S. sanctions on Venezuela” and supporting the stance of the Union of South American Nations. Politicians from across at least six different parties, 120 of them, and from bodies including the Houses of Parliament and Lords, European Parliament, Scottish Parliament, supported the calls of Venezuela's elected President Nicolas Maduro for peace and dialogue. The signatories agreed with the Organization of American States' resolution of “respect for the principle of non intervention in the internal affairs of states and its commitment to the defense of democratic institutionalism of the state of law in agreement with the OAS Charter and international law,” and therefore disagree with all external inter- ference, including any U.S. sanctions on Venezuela. Former member of parliament and Chair of the Venezuela Solidarity Campaign (UK), which instigated the petition, Colin Burgon highlighted the national and international condemnation of Obama's declarations. “This has widely been condemned in Venezuela itself, across Latin America, the Caribbean and increasingly around the world, including here in Britain, where this surge in parliamentary support for Venezuela's national sovereignty shows people's deep concerns about the Executive Order against Venezuela,” he said. “The hypocrisy of the U.S. administration with regards to Venezuela in terms of declaring unilateral sanctions due to alleged human rights abuses — when they have close relationships with the governments of Honduras and Mexico — is breathtaking and another reason why Obama's interventionist Executive order must be repealed,” he added. ■ More than 40 people attended a rally in solidarity with the Bolivarian revolution, under the title "Hands off Venezuela", outside the US consulate in Sydney's Martin Place on March 21. The rally was organised by the Communist Party of Australia, and endorsed by the Australia Cuba Friendship Society (Sydney), Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network, Bolivarian Circle, Committee in Defence of Human Rights in Guatemala, Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) Committee in Sydney, Grupo Ibiray-Fondo Raul Sendic, Latin America Social Forum, Salvador Allende Monument Inc and Socialist Alliance. Speakers from the various supporting organisations condemned the US declaration of a "national security emergency" by US President Barack Obama, and stressed that the peoples of Venezuela and Latin America would never again accept US military and Chavez. “In the 19th century, Simon Bolivar fought against the Spanish empire. “Recently, President Chanvez fought against the US empire, for socialism of the 21st century. Now Venezuela is the victim of an economic and political war by the US and local elites, to attempt to bring down the Bolivarian Revolution “With the help of international solidarity, Venezuela will win. Chavez lives! The struggle continues! Venceremos!” A public forum looking at the situation in Venezuela two years on from the death of Chavez was held the following night at the old Latin American Hut in Sydney. In Brisbane, a forum and photo exhibition looking at the life of Chavez was also held on Friday March 6. The newly formed Venezuela Solidarity Campaign in Melbourne organised a public forum on March 5 to mark the date. ■ prelude to an economic blockade or even military attack. “Venezuela is clearly no threat to any nation. We call on the US to respect Venezuela's democracy and reverse its sanctions and absurd decree.” Susan Price, a co-convenor of Australian political group Socialist Alliance, said: “For the US government to use alleged human rights violations to attack Venezuela is gross hypocrisy. The US government is one of the world's worst human rights abusers — from its war crimes in the Middle East, to its torture camp at Guantanamo Bay, to its own streets where Black youths are killed with impunity. “We know their real concern is Venezuela's Bolivarian revolution, that has lifted millions out of poverty and seeks to create a ‘socialism for the 21st century’. This revolution sets an example for the world.” Victor-Hugo Munoz, a spokesperson for Sydney's Latin America Social Forum, which unites a range of Latin American groups and communities, said: “Latin American nations are all speaking out in support of Venezuela and against this gross threat to its sovereignty. We join with them in denouncing this attack not just against Venezuela, but against the sovereignty and dignity of all peoples of the Americas.” ■ Events mark second anniversary of Chavez's death A number of events were held across Australia to mark the second anniversary of the death of hugo Chavez. About 30 people gathered in the Latin American Plaza, near Sydney’s Central Station on March 5. The vigil was organised by the Bolivarian Circle and the AustraliaVenezuela Solidarity Network (AVSN), and was supported by the Embassy of Venezuela in Australia. Venezuelan ambassador to Australia Nelson Davila said: “Today we meet to commemorate the great heroes of the Venezuelan struggle for independence and freedom, Simon Bolivar and Hugo Australian groups back Venezuela in face of US attacks Australian groups have condemned the decision of US President Barack Obama to issue an executive order on March 9 declaring Venezuela “a national security emergency” and imposing sanctions on Venezuelan officials. Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network co-convenor Roberto Jorquera said: “We are extremely concerned at this latest escalation in US attacks on the sovereign nation of Venezuela. We share the concern of the Venezuelan government and many others that this could be a political intervention in the region's affairs. They also called for increased solidarity internationally with Venezuela, including from Australia. The chants of "Yankee go home!" and "The people united will never be defeated" rang out across the square. ■ Venezuelan ambassador Australia, Nelson Davila to Advertisement Post to AVSN, PO Box 458, Broadway NSW 2007. Ph 0412 556 527 Email: [email protected]. Visit www.venezuelasolidarity.org Australia Venezuela Solidarity Network April 2015 Venezuela: New coup, same old coup-plotters V Chandra Muzaffar The most absurd political pronouncement of 2015 was made on March 9. The US President issued an Executive Order that declared “a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela …” A White House spokesman explained that Venezuela was a threat because of “Venezuelan officials past and present who violate the human rights of Venezuelan citizens and engage in acts of public corruption…” He further asserted that these officials will not be welcome in the US, “and we now have the tools to block their assets and their use of US financial systems.” Seven individuals have been targeted by the White House. There have been other sanctions against Venezuelan officials and citizens in the past. So far the US has not provided any tangible evidence of how Venezuelan officials have violated human rights or indulged in public corruption. Its reckless allegations have been effectively refuted by the Caracas government. Even leaders from other Latin American countries have condemned the statements emanating from Washington DC. They have also criticized Washington for demanding that Caracas release all “political prisoners” allegedly detained by the government including “dozens of students.” The Venezuelan government insists that those detained are facing trial for criminal offences linked to violent attempts to destabilize the situation and oust the democratically elected government of the day. The government has been able to offer incontrovertible proof of this to the public. Hugo Chavez speaking at the 2012 anniversary rally to mark the defeat of the coup in front of a banner which reads: “Remember April” Former Caracas mayor, Antonio Ledezma, for instance, was arrested in February for his role in the February 12 coup which also implicated Air Force personnel and terrorists such as Lorent Saleh. Another opposition leader facing trial is Leopoldo Lopez who was at the head of a series of violent opposition protests in 2014 that sought to overthrow the Nicolas Maduro government. The protests that Lopez led caused the death of 43 people, the majority of whom were from the security forces or followers of the charismatic late President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. In fact, Ledezma and Lopez, together with a third right-wing leader, Maria Corina Machado, were actively involved in the infamous April 11 2002 coup against Chavez. The coup failed, it is worth reiterating, mainly because tens of thou- sands of ordinary Venezuelans came out in full force to demand that Chavez be restored to power. The US, through the CIA, was, needless to say, responsible for engineering the coup. This time all three coup manipulators from 2002, had allegedly signed a document which openly espoused the overthrow of the Maduro government. President Maduro has shared with his people recordings of phone conversations that some of these individuals had in recent months with other Venezuelan politicians living in New York and Miami which suggest a complex coup plot. The execution of the plot envisaged the privatization of most public services and the intervention of the IMF, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank in the Venezuelan economy for the benefit of the pro-US elite in the country and their masters in Washington and other Western capitals. Maduro has promised to reveal more details of the planned coup at the Summit of the Americas scheduled for April in Panama. Since this is what is happening — a concerted drive by the US elite to oust a democratically elected government which has been going on for at least 13 years — how can Obama talk of a Venezuelan threat to the US? If anything, it is the US that is a present and continuous threat to the people of Venezuela. It is the US elite that is undermining Venezuelan democracy. Why is the US doing this to Venezuela? The reason is simple. Since Hugo Chavez Frias became President through the ballot-box in 1998, he and his successor, Nicolas Maduro, have been determined to preserve and enhance the independence, sovereignty and integrity of their nation. The Venezuelan people as a whole are not prepared to yield to US dominance and control over their land which was the reality for long decades before 1998. It is not just because of the resistance of the Venezuelan people to US hegemony that they are being threatened and punished in this way. The US elite knows that their resistance is part of an ever-widening, ever-expanding resistance that encompasses a large number of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Their collective desire to protect and enhance their sovereignty and independence has now found expression through regional initiatives such as ALBA and CELAC. The Venezuelan leadership itself continues to play a significant role in these initiatives. As more and more nations in a region that was once contemptuously referred to as “the US’s backyard” assert their dignity and selfrespect, it is obvious that US power and influence in Latin America and the Caribbean is waning rapidly. The very fact that that the overwhelming majority of states in the region have rallied around Venezuela as it faces threats from its northern neighbor is proof that the tide has changed. A while ago, Latin American states also stood by Argentina when it was subjected to enormous pressures from Wall Street speculators and financers. If the US realizes that it cannot throw its weight around anymore it is also because of the increasingly close ties that are developing between nations in the region and China, and to a lesser extent, Russia. In other words, the new scenarios that are unfolding are not to the US’s liking. Perhaps, it is in that sense that Venezuela — one of the movers of change in Latin America and the Caribbean — is a “threat” to a declining hegemon. ■ Maduro unveils further evidence of ‘Blue Coup’ plot TeleSUR Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro revealed new evidence on the coup plot against his administration on March 3 during his weekly televised show, revealing that much of it was planned in the United States. President Maduro played the audio of a conversation held between Carlos Manuel Osuna Saraco, a former Venezuelan politician living in New York, and a soldier, in which Osuna dictates the statement that the rebel soldiers should read out during the coup. The Venezuelan leader informed viewers that he would soon call upon the United States to extradite the suspect Osuna for trial in his home country. Maduro also noted that in addition to the call from Osuna’s base in New York, there was a second phone call from Miami. Ledezma was in constant coordination with Osuna in New York via telephone. “There is a lot of hatred in certain minorities [in Venezuela],” Maduro said. “Minorities with economic power that are being encouraged from the U.S.” “This plot has a tag which reads 'made in the USA,'” he asserted, adding that a member of the United States Embassy in Venezuela also met with opposition leaders, giving them documents to help in the preparation stage. He urged U.S. President Barack Obama to abandon his government's attempts to oust him. “You, Mr. Obama, must decide … if you want to go down in history as George W. Bush, who failed in attempting to oust President Chavez,” said Maduro. “This plot has a tag which reads 'made in the USA',” Maduro asserted. According to information the government had previously released, the coup plotters had a four-stage plan to oust the president, which would begin with economic warfare and finish with a violent military uprising. Furthermore, President Maduro said preliminary information given by detained officers – not yet confirmed – points at CNN and Televen as two of the media outlets through which the coup plotters’ message would be aired. Maduro also showed a copy of a new “100-day Plan for Transition”, designed by the coup plotters and the opposition, which stipulated a series of measures which would be implemented by the planned governing junta. The plan would take effect immediately after the coup, calling for early elections and the privatization of all public services. The transitional government would request all of the current Venezuelan officials to turn themselves into the police within a period of 180 days. It also requested every Cuban worker within the government to turn themselves in unarmed to their local police station. The plan also contemplated a role for the IMF, the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank to intervene in the Venezuelan economy. President Maduro announced further revelations will be made in the following weeks, and said he will bring that evidence to present at the Summit of the Americas, to be held in April in Panama. “We have only revealed less than one percent of all of the information which the detained generals have given us,” said Maduro. The Venezuelan president ended the broadcast by urging opposition leaders to stay away from an armed struggle and to respect the Constitution. ■
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