MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
US says Chavez succession is an issue for Venezuelans to decide and must include all voices
Victoria Nuland said Washington is concerned for Chavez health and wishing a speedy recovery The United States is concerned for the health of President Hugo Chavez and wishing a speedy recovery, but the succession situation in Venezuela “is an issue for Venezuelans to decide” and it should be done in a manner “that includes all the voices in the discussion”, said State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland on Tuesday.
“We have over the course of the last week or so talked in general about the succession situation in Venezuela. Let me reiterate our foundational point, which is that this is an issue for Venezuelans to decide, and it – they need to do it in a manner that includes all the voices in the discussion. So it needs to be a broad-based discussion and it needs to be decided in a manner that is free, fair, transparent, is seen as ensuring a level political playing field in Venezuela”, said Ms Nuland.
Regarding President Chavez health condition, Ms Nuladnd said that “obviously we are (monitoring), as we would be for anybody suffering what he is suffering, concerned for his health and wishing a speedy recovery. But in terms of any specific, internal information that we have, I don’t have anything to share here”.
Further on when asked about Venezuelan authorities call for a massive rally on Thursday, Ms Nuland insisted that discussions in Venezuela “needs to happen peacefully and that there needs to be no resort to violence, no excuse for violence on any side”.
Finally Ms Nuland said that no specific warnings have been put out to Americans to avoid Caracas on Thursday rally when President Chavez was supposed to initiate his six year mandate, but won’t be attending for medical reasons.
However the State Department spokesperson insisted that “we are closely monitoring the discussion among Venezuelans and hoping it will remain peaceful”.
Chavez has been a long time challenger of “US imperialism” (both Democrat and Republican administrations) and has repeatedly accused Washington of trying to remove him from office or conspiring against the Bolivarian revolution leading to 21st century Socialism.
President Obama’s administration has been careful in its statements on Venezuela and the current controversy over the taking office ceremony which should take place on Thursday January 10, but as was announced Tuesday will not have re-re-elected Chavez attending because of his cancer post-surgery recovery in Cuba.
“We expect that any transition in Venezuela is democratic, legal, constitutional and transparent”, said William Ostick who deals with Latinamerican affairs at the State Department.
Last week Washington admitted that it was holding political talks with both the government of President Chavez and with the Venezuelan opposition.
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Read all commentsTe US is concerned for Chavez health lol They're concerned hes still alive more like!
Jan 09th, 2013 - 08:26 am 0Allow me t0 translate:
Jan 09th, 2013 - 09:35 am 0“Let me reiterate our foundational point, which is that this is an issue for Venezuelans to decide, and it – they need to do it in a manner that includes all the voices in the discussion.” = The voice of the US government is THE most important voice in these “discussions”.
“So it needs to be a broad-based discussion and it needs to be decided in a manner that is free, fair, transparent, is seen as ensuring a level political playing field in Venezuela” = The US will see to it that the recent free, fair, transparent elections are overturned.
”...discussions in Venezuela “needs to happen peacefully and that there needs to be no resort to violence, no excuse for violence on any side” and “...we are closely monitoring the discussion among Venezuelans and hoping it will remain peaceful”. = We at the the US State Department and CIA intend to incite violence and blame it on Chavez' people.
“We expect that any transition in Venezuela is democratic, legal, constitutional and transparent” = The US government will decide who is in charge of Venezuela.
You see, it is so easy to translate US hegemonicese into simple English. I really wish that the US State Department and CIA could learn to use such simple and clear language.
Nice try rylang23, but forgive me if I'm wrong but didn't Chavez win the election? The US didn't stop that. And where is the US in the current constitutional crisis discussions? And where is the violence being incited? And the election overturned? It's Chavez's constitution that calls for new elections should the president be permanently or mentally incapacitated. Not the US's opinion.
Jan 09th, 2013 - 12:00 pm 0You probably don't even realise how unoriginal you are but none of Venezuela's current economic, social or constitutions problems can't be blamed on the US.
Chavez wrote the constitution.
Chavez contested the election knowing how sick he was.
Chavez's party is the one who is about to breach the constitution.
Oh and look up the definition of “free” and “fair”. Just because there were elections doesn't mean they were free and fair.
Oh to see the world in black and white like you!
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