Friends, if you are a citizen/resident of the US, we would greatly appreciate your signature on this declaration rejecting the unilateral sanctions imposed against Venezuela this Tuesday by the US State Department. This is a grave and dangerous move by Washington to justify further aggression against the Venezuelan people. We need your solidarity. Please let me know if you or your organization would like to sign on to the declaration below and if so email [email protected] [Español abajo]. Gracias!! Eva We Reject United States Sanctions Against Venezuela On Tuesday, May 24, 2011, the United States Department of State unilaterally imposed sanctions against Venezuela’s state-owned oil company, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), for its alleged relations with the government of Iran. The sanctions are a desperate and weak attempt to link Venezuela to Iran’s nuclear energy program as part of an ongoing campaign to justify further aggressive action against the South American oil producing nation. As citizens of the United States, we unequivocally reject this latest attempt of our administration to demonize the Venezuelan government and undermine the vibrant democracy of the Venezuelan people. The Venezuelan government of Hugo Chavez has already been victim of a coup d’etat in 2002, backed by Washington, which briefly ousted the President from power. Fortunately for the health of Venezuela’s democracy, the people fought back, rescued their President, and reinstated constitutional order. Then, as now, the United States stood alone in its support for hostilities against Venezuela’s democratically-elected government. The government of Hugo Chavez has used its oil wealth to invest heavily in improving the wellbeing of its people. Currently, more than 60% of oil industry profits are directed towards social programs in Venezuela, including free healthcare, education, job training, community media, grassroots organizations and subsidized food and housing. The results are notable. Poverty in Venezuela has been reduced by over 50% during the Chavez administration, illiteracy has been eradicated and free, universal healthcare and education are available and accesible to all. These policies of social justice have extended well beyond the borders of Venezuela to the United States though programs that supply free, discounted or subsidized heating oil and fuel to low income neighborhoods, indigenous peoples’ communities and homeless shelters throughout the nation. More than 250,000 US citizens in 25 states and the District of Columbia have benefited to date from the Venezuelan government’s subsidized heating oil program, which is run through PDVSA’s subsidiary in the United States, CITGO. No other oil company in the world - including US companies - has offered to help low income families suffering from the inflated cost of heating oil during the past six years, except for CITGO. Venezuela’s solidarity with the people of the United States has enabled thousands of families to survive through these difficult economic times. We find it outrageous that the United States government would attempt to demonize the one company, and country, that has been there for our neighbors, putting people before profits. And we call on our representatives in Washington to suspend these sanctions against Venezuela immediately. -Friends of Venezuela ---------------------------------- Rechazamos las sanciones de Estados Unidos contra Venezuela El martes, 24 de mayo de 2011, el Departamento de Estado de Estados Unidos unilateralmente impuso sanciones contra la empresa estatal de Venezuela, Petróleos de Venezuela, S.A. (PDVSA), por sus supuestas relaciones con el gobierno de Irán. Estas sanciones son un intento desesperado y débil de vincular a Venezuela con el programa de energía nuclear de Irán, como parte de una campaña continua para justificar más acción agresiva contra la nación suramericana. Como ciudadanos de Estados Unidos, rechazamos contundentemente este último intento de nuestra administración de satanizar al gobierno de Venezuela y socavar la vibrante democracia del pueblo venezolano. El gobierno de Hugo Chávez ya ha sido víctima de un golpe de estado en 2002, apoyado por Washington, que brevemente sacó al Presidente del poder. Afortunadamente para la salud de la democracia venezolana, el pueblo luchó, rescató su Presidente y reinstaló el orden constitucional. En aquel momento, como hoy, el gobierno de Estados Unidos estuvo solo en su apoyo para las hostilidades contra el gobierno democráticamente electo de Venezuela. El gobierno de Hugo Chávez ha usado su riqueza petrolera para invertir masivamente en el mejoramiento del bienestar de su pueblo. Actualmente, más de 60% de las ganancias petroleras son dirigidas hacia programas sociales en Venezuela, incluyendo la atención médica gratuita, educación, trabajo, medios comunitarios, organizaciones comunitarias, y comida y viviendas subsidiadas. Y los resultados son notables. La pobreza en Venezuela ha sido reducido en más de 50% durante la administración de Chávez, el analfabetismo ha sido erradicado, y ahora hay acceso para todos a la educación y atención médica gratuita. Éstas políticas de justicia social se han extendido más allá de las fronteras venezolanas hasta los Estados unidos, a través de programas que suministran aceite para calefacción gratis o con descuentos a comunidades de bajos recursos, tribus de nativos estadounidenses y albergues para personas sin vivienda o en situación de indigencia por toda la nación. Más de 250 mil estadounidenses en 25 estados y el Distrito de Columbia han sido beneficiados hasta hoy a través de este programa de aceite para calefacción, gratis o con descuentos, del gobierno venezolano, lo cual se maneja a través del subsidio de PDVSA en Estados Unidos: CITGO. Ninguna otra empresa en el mundo – incluyendo empresas estadounidenses – ha ofrecido ayudar a las familias de bajos recursos en Estados Unidos que sufren de los costos inflados del aceite para calefacción, con la excepción de CITGO. La solidaridad de Venezuela con el pueblo de Estados Unidos ha ayudado a miles de familias sobrevivir estos tiempos difíciles. Nos indigna que el gobierno de Estados Unidos intente satanizar la única empresa, y el único país, que ha estado allí apoyando a nuestros vecinos, poniendo a las necesidades del pueblo antes de las ganancias. Y llamamos a nuestros representantes en Washington a que suspendan inmediatamente estas sanciones contra Venezuela. - Amigos de Venezuela
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