Bachelet reaffirms support to Maduro; urges respect for human rights

"We hope that democracy turns out to be an essential value"

EL UNIVERSAL

Monday March 17, 2014  11:58 AM

Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has reaffirmed that nobody, included individuals or countries, is entitled to overthrown a legitimate elected president through violence. Bachelet's comment came with respect to a wave of protests staged in Venezuela against President Nicolás Maduro in recent weeks.

Amidst reports of torture and violation of dissenters' human rights, Bachelet told Reuters, "We hope at all times for the respect of human rights and the Constitution, and hope that democracy turns out to be an essential value."

Bachelet noted that during the meeting of the Union of South American Nations (Unasur) held on Wednesday in Santiago de Chile, foreign ministers weighed alternatives to help Venezuela overcome the crisis. "This is why a joint declaration was produced and a foreign ministers committee will be set up to travel to Venezuela before April 1," Efe reported.

Human Rights Watch urges the OAS to address the Venezuelan crisis

The non-governmental organization complained about the disproportionate use of force against demonstrators.

"The Organization of American States (OAS) and its member countries should proceed with a meeting on the situation in Venezuela," non-governmental organization Human Rights Watch said on Friday as it called on the regional organization to hear reports on violation of human rights in Venezuela allegedly perpetrated by police and military officers while trying to break up mass demonstrations in the last three weeks.

"Venezuela is not the only country in the region that has faced massive, mostly peaceful demonstrations," stressed José Miguel Vivanco, the director of Human Rights Watch for the Americas. He added that "What sets it (Venezuela) apart is the way the Maduro government has reacted with an abusive combination of censoring news outlets, arbitrarily locking up a prominent political opponent, and bringing brutal force down on protesters."

Source: El Universal
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