During its address to the United Nations (UN) General Assembly on Monday, Venezuela denounced the financial damage caused by unilateral coercive measures (UCM) to attacked nations, and called “to break the cycle of impunity for these violating actions.»
On behalf of the «Group of Friends in Defense of the Charter of the United Nations,» Venezuelan Chancellor Yván Gil spoke at the plenary session of the 79th Regular Session of the UN, held in New York City, United States (USA).
«More than 30 nations are subject to UCMs that directly affect daily life, a reality that has created a systemic crisis that increases instability and mistrust,» said the senior Venezuelan diplomat.
A Global Problem:
In this regard, Gil noted that «these measures constitute a global problem, requiring a global solution,» and asserted that «they represent today’s greatest obstacle to the implementation of nations’ development plans.»
He noted that one of the most infamous examples of these unilateral measures is the blockade of Cuba, a country that «is an example of dignity, resistance, and victory over these illegal and anachronistic policies.»
The representative of Bolivarian diplomacy reiterated that these illegal measures also «violate the sovereign and inalienable right of States to choose their economic system,» while emphasizing that «the UCMs constitute a flagrant violation of the UN Charter and threaten the international legal order, as a new form of colonialism.»
Cruel and Destructive Measures:
During the debate, the official also emphasized that countries in the Global South «are witnessing measures more cruel and destructive than ever before, which are presented in the form of so-called tariffs.»
«In the face of escalating unilateralism and intimidation, the so-called tariffs being imposed today pursue objectives other than those related to trade,» he said, while criticizing the fact that “they disrupt supply chains and distort markets.»
In his address, he also added that «it is urgent to pave the way toward a more just world without coercion; tariffs affect everyone directly or indirectly,» he emphasized.
Gil added that the continuation of this policy of aggression «will cause human suffering throughout the world» and warned that «tariffs deepen the conditions for poverty and become crimes against humanity.»
He also criticized the humanitarian exemptions, stating that «they are a mere fantasy, nonexistent, and ineffective.» He added that «in the absence of complete elimination, we express our commitment to explore new avenues.»
Paladins of Human Rights:
«We will never tire of emphasizing how immoral and contradictory it is for some governments to pretend to present themselves as supposed champions of human rights (HR), when, at the same time, with their deliberate and systematic policies, particularly through the illegal promulgation and application of UCMs, they commit massive violations of these rights on a daily basis,» he stated.
The Chancellor added that «through its own efforts, Venezuela has resisted and overcome the worst stages of the economic and commercial siege promoted by sanctions, with a policy that consists of protecting social investment.»