The Bolivarian Government of Venezuela denounced this Monday the German information network Deutsche Welle (DW), for the irresponsible and unethical management of the Resolute-Naiguatá case.
Through the Twitter social network, the Vice Minister of International Communication, William Castillo, published the letter that was sent to the media by orders of Chancellor Jorge Arreaza.
In the text, the German information network is demanded to clarify the information disclosed about the fact that constitutes an attack on the sovereignty of the nation.
Following, the full letter:
Bolivarian Government of Venezuela
Caracas, April 3, 2020
Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Relations
Mr. Christoph Jumpelt, Deutsche Welle (DW) Head of Corporate Communications Spokesperson for Public Relations and Communications
I respectfully address you in order to convey the rejection of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to the unsigned note published on the DW portal (dw.com/es/barco-de-la-marina-venezolana-embiste- a-German-cruiser-and-is-sinking / a-53003388) which contains an absolutely false version of the events that occurred in the territorial waters of Venezuela on Monday, March 30.
As reported by our Government, nationally and internationally, on March 30 the tourist ship “Resolute”, of German origin and Portuguese flag, rammed a coast guard ship of the Venezuelan Navy seven miles from the island of La Tortuga, Caribbean Sea, in jurisdictional waters of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
The event took place after the irregular presence of said ship in Venezuelan waters was detected and, in compliance with international protocols, it was ordered by the “Naiguatá” ship, belonging to the Venezuelan Navy, to head for a safe port on the nearby island of Margarita.
The crew of the “Resolute” initially accepted the request of the coast guard but, while moving towards the island of Margarita, in a surprising action, the ship rammed the Venezuelan military ship, ten times smaller than the “Resolute” ship, causing a collision and capsizing it. Additionally, the “Resolute” crew abandoned the Venezuelan crew to their fate in risky and difficult circumstances, and headed towards the island of Curaçao where it still remains.
The version offered by DW days later can be understood by the interest of the German company Columbian Cruise Services in evading its responsibility in the face of such a serious act, in violation of the rules of international maritime navigation and of elementary principles of humanity and solidarity, but what cannot be understood from the ethics and the responsible exercise of journalism, it is that the Venezuelan version is absolutely minimized in the note, fully endorsing an authentic «fake news».
Venezuela effectively considers what happened as a serious act of maritime piracy and as an unacceptable attack on national sovereignty, and in attention to its international responsibility, the Government of Venezuela carries out the pertinent diplomatic and legal actions to definitively clarify the reasons for this unusual aggression, and to compensate the damages caused to our country. The Venezuelan version has been fully accepted by the Curaçao authorities, to the point that the “Resolute” ship is already under an embargo measure, and the insurer itself has collaborated with the efforts of the Venezuelan government.
In response to the indisputable events that occurred, in respect to your readers and the German public opinion, I would greatly appreciate for your coverage of these news, the version of a responsible State, which would never carry out an act of aggression against a civilian vessel, but that enforces and will make respect its sovereignty, its territory and the security of its population against any threat, wherever it may come from”.
Sincerely
William Castillo B.
Vice Minister for International Communication
Ministry of People’s Power for Foreign Relations
Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela
