by Mridula Tirumalasetti
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTÁ, Colombia – Colombia’s presidential candidate, Óscar Iván Zuluaga won the first round of voting on May 25 with 29.3 percent of the votes, ahead of President Juan Manuel Santos with 25.7 percent. Zuluaga will face Santos on June 15 in a run-off vote. In order to avoid a run-off vote in Colombia, Zuluaga would have had to win more than 50 percent of the votes. Polls show this has been the nation’s tightest election in years.

The most pressing issue of the campaign has been how to end the country’s 50-year conflict with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, a conflict which has claimed more than 215,000 lives. Santos has been negotiating with FARC in Cuba, and announced on May 16 that they had reached an agreement on three out of the five points, including land reform and political participation by the FARC. These negotiations have been said to bring the end of the fight against illegal drugs closer than ever.

Right-wing Zuluaga, who is backed by former President Álvaro Uribe, favors more of a military solution rather than peace talks. Zuluaga initially promised that, if elected, he would immediately suspend peace talks with FARC but has since softened his stance in exchange for Conservative Party leader, Marta Lucia Ramirez’s support in the run-off vote. Zuluaga has agreed to give FARC a chance to declare a ceasefire. In a speech after the first round of voting, Zuluaga said “The President of the Republic cannot and should not be manipulated by the FARC, the biggest drug cartel in the world today.” Zuluaga promised “a full-frontal assault on terrorism.” Santos has criticized Zuluaga’s acceptance of the idea of peace talks as hypocritical and “politicking.”

“Zuluaga’s triumph [in the first round] shows there’s an important part of society that doesn’t back the Havana talks,” said Alejo Vargas, who is a professor of political science at the National University. Some voters want a more firm approach when dealing with FARC. Voter Jhon Serrato said “You can’t just give them what they want, while they kill people.” Another voter, Lena Sanchez Rodriguez said “The office of the president has gotten weaker in the last four years” and “Santos doesn’t have a strong enough hand to deal with delinquents.”

Other voters such as Mariana Giraldo, support the Santos administration and the peace process. Giraldo said, “If there was a peace deal we would have more diplomatic agreements with other countries.”

A voter poll on Thursday, the first since Sunday’s first round of voting, showed Santos leading by one percent over Zuluaga. Still, almost 20 million of the 33 million registered voters did not vote. Additionally, approximately 800,000 voters voted a blank ballot in order to protest both of the candidates.

For more information please see:

Al Jazeera – Zuluaga wins first round of Colombia election – 25 May 2014

The Wall Street Journal – Colombia President Santos to Face Zuluaga in Runoff Vote – 25 May 2014

Bloomberg – Zuluaga Leads Santos Ahead of Colombia Presidential Runoff – 26 May 2014

Reuters – Colombia’s Zuluaga softens on FARC peace talks ahead of run-off vote – 29 May 2014

 

By Delisa Morris

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has stated that sanctions placed on Venezuela by the United States could cause his country to shut down its diplomatic missions in the U.S.

The measure, which has cleared the House of Representatives but faces a challenge in the Senate, could “lead to the point of not having an embassy or consulates in the United States, Maduro said Thursday.  However, Maduro has praised the Obama administration’s opposition to the bill, saying it has led him to name a new top diplomat in Washington.

The opposition to the bill Maduro is speaking of, is in response to comments by Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson, who has again urged the U.S. Senate to vote against the bill.  Maduro said that he read the remarks “with great attention” and said that the remarks were a “leap toward good sense”.  These remarks sparked Maduro to name a new top diplomat in Washington.

The praise from Maduro, however slight, is a change in tide from the plethora of denunciations attributed to the U.S. by the Venezuelan President.  Following in his predecessor, and role model, President Hugo Chavez’s footsteps Maduro and his supporters have repeatedly accused Washington of trying to topple his government.  Maduro has blamed the U.S. for stirring up the protests in which at least 42 people have died since February.

This week, pro-Maduro Caracas Mayor Jorge Rodriguez announced that the U.S. ambassador to Colombia, Kevin Whitaker, was implicated in a plot to murder President Maduro.  This news was announced in the midst of an event where Rodriquez was speaking that included first lady Cilia Flores and National Assembly President Diosdado Cabello.  Rodriguez requested that the U.S. government clarify if it knew of Whitaker’s alleged role or if Whitaker was acting without aid.

Jen Psaki, State Department spokeswoman, called the allegation baseless.

Amongst Maduro’s supporters is Russia.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday, at a joint press conference with Elias Jaua, Venezuelan Foreign Minister, “[a]ll the problems (of a country) must be solved under the Constitution, without outside interference, or even sanctions or threats of sanctions.”  Lavrov added, “[w]e have endorsed our solidarity with the government of Nicolás Maduro, and his determination to both overcome certain difficulties facing Venezuela and engage in dialogue (…) with the opposition.”

Maximilien Sanchez Arvelaiz, former Venezuelan ambassador to Brazil, has been named as Maduro’s new top diplomat in Washington.  In February, Maduro named Sanchez Arvelaiz to fill the vacant ambassadorship in Washington, but U.S. officials have not acted on the proposal.

For more information, please see:

El Universal — Russia Takes Issue with US because of Sanctions on Venezuela — 29 May 2014

ABC News — Venezuela Leader Praises US Rejection of Sanctions — 30 May 2014

The Washington Post — Venezuela Leader Praises US Rejection of Sanctions — 30 May 2014

Monterey Herald News — US Slow to Back Sanctions on Venezuela — 21 May 2014

 

by Delisa Morris 

Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela — US lawmakers have made an effort to apply sanctions on Venezuela over human rights concerns.  However, South American governments have said no.

In a statement on Friday, Foreign ministers from the 12-member Union of South American Nations announced that the sanctions would constitute a violation of Venzuela’s internal affairs, while undermining the attempts by regional diplomats and the Vatican to facilitate dialogue between the Venezuelan government and the opposition.

According to a statement after a meeting in the Galapagos Islands in Ecuador, sanctions represent an obstacle for Venezuela.  The people can over come their difficulties with independence and in democratic peace.

The Obama Administration has condemned President Nicolas Maduro for cracking down on protestors and human rights violations.  President Obama has stated that he wants to wait to apply sanctions to allow more time for dialogue between President Maduro and the opposition.

On Wednesday, The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to debate a bi-partisan bill that would order the Obama administration to ban visas and freeze the assets of Venezuelan officials who have committed human rights violations during unrest in the past three months.  The bill centers on $15 million in funds to promote democracy and rule of law in the country.  The Senate foreign relations committee has already cleared similar legislation.

Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., was a sponsor of the Senate legislation.  Senator Rubio stated that the sanctions would carry a very important message at this time when Venezuelan officials have been accused of arresting, torturing, and even killing unarmed protestors.

In a telephone interview with the Associated Press Senator Rubio stated sanctions should target anyone who has been involved in human rights violations and did not rule out President Maduro as a target.

Taking action now would show that the U.S. is “firmly on the side of the democratic aspirations of the Venezuelan people,” said Rubio.

Human Rights Watch released a report this month detailing the abuses that have occurred in Venezuela since the beginning of the unrest.  At least 41 people have died in the country since February.  Others have suffered broken bones, denials of medical treatment and have been threatened with rape or death.  Human Rights Watch noted that at least 10 of the deaths should be considered torture.

According to US lawmakers sanctions would be an appropriate way to help stop the violence, but South American governments do not agree.   

For more information, please see:

ABC News — South America Rejects US Sanctions on Venezuela — 24 May 2014

The Washington Post — South America Rejects US Sanctions on Venezuela — 24 May 2014

Fox News Latino — Spurred By Sen. Marco Rubio, Congress Moves to Impose Sanctions On Venezuela — 8 May 2014

Daily Mail — South America Rejects US Sanctions on Venezuela — 24 May 2014