The Civil Society of Venezuela presented itself to the United Nations Security Council in the United Nations Headquarters in New York this Tuesday, June 20th, 2017 petitioning the evaluation and resolution of the crisis in Venezuela. Specifically, the Civil Society requested the evaluation of the lethal use of weapons and explosives in repression of Venezuelans engaging in public protests, resulting in the death of dozens of people and injury of hundreds of others. The Civil Society of Venezuela is petitioning the UN Security Council to sanction the governmental regime of Venezuela on the basis of chapter 7 of the Charter of the United Nations by establishing an embargo on weapons and explosives utilized to repress the Venezuelan population.

Venezuelans need international support now, more than ever in order to resolve the existing political, economic, social and humanitarian crisis taking place in the country. VENEZUELANS NEED YOUR SUPPORT. Please sign this petition directed to the United Nations Security Council so that concrete and effective steps may be taken to help resolve this conflict and allow Venezuelans to live in freedom and under democracy.

Below you will find the two letters directed to Mr. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations and to Mr. Sasha Llorenty, President of the United Nations Security Council, respectively. These were presented and signed by several members of the Civil Society of Venezuela, national and international NGOs, and successfully handed over and received by representatives at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

(Begin first letter)

June 20, 2017

United Nations Security Council

405 East 42nd Street,

New York, NY, 10017

Your Excellency

Mr. Sasha Llorenty

President of the Security Council

Since January 2017, after the Vatican’s efforts to mediate between the Venezuelan government and the political opposition failed to reach an agreement, general protests against poor living conditions have been active throughout our country. Additionally, the executive order issued on April 2017, aimed to transfer the power of the National Assembly to the Supreme Court, openly violating the Constitution of Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, exacerbated national dissatisfaction, due to this decision’s anti-democratic spirit. Nicolas Maduro’s intentions to create a constituent assembly without a plebiscite, the cancellation of any referendum and gubernatorial elections, the systematic incarceration of both opposition leaders and citizens committed to the restoration of our democracy, and the prolonged economic and social crisis, continue to fuel massive civic demonstrations.

Facing scarcity, poverty, and repression, and given the inexistent support from public institutions whose independently-minded officials were systematically replaced by government loyalists over the 18 years of the Bolivarian Revolution, the people of Venezuela have taken the streets demanding the immediate restitution of the constitutional order, the resignation of President Maduro, the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, and fair and equal elections under an independently formed National Electoral Council (CNE), open to impartial international observation.

The people of Venezuela, who are currently resisting on the streets, are being repressed with tear gas grenades (launched targeting the human body), buckshot discharged at point-blank range, firearms, and by means considered crimes against humanity, such as zip guns charged with nails, nuts and bolts; even official vehicles are being used as lethal weapons to hit the crowds. The death toll from these terrorist practices, ordered by the dictatorial regime of Nicolas Maduro, has reached over 73 people, more than 2,000 wounded, and at least 1,363 arbitrary detentions. Civilian detainees are being subjected to physical and psychological torture, 370 of them facing trial in military courts.

All human rights violations, and the dictatorial nature of Venezuela’s military regime, whose high officials (including the presidential family) have been tied to large drug trafficking cartels, conspiracy against political stability within democratic states, and politically and financially linked to terrorist organizations around the world, are evidence that these serious threats jeopardizing international security and the stability of the region, which falls within the purview of responsibility of the United Nations Security Council.

For the reasons set forth herein and considering:

The use of arms and explosives as instruments to harm and assassinate civilians,

The systematic violation of human rights by the Venezuelan government,

The use of state institutions to persecute and incarcerate civilians and members of the political opposition,

The implementation of a state-sponsored terrorism executing non-conventional methods to lethally attack civilians using official vehicles to hit the crowds,

The increase of Venezuelan exodus affecting migratory rates within the Americas and beyond, and

The terrorist propaganda used by the Venezuelan government to generate political deterrence

and according to the Provisional Rules of Procedure (S/96/Rev.7) Article 30 of the Charter which stipulates that the Security Council shall adopt its own rules of procedure, and according to the function of maintenance of international peace and security of the Security Council in correspondence with the principles and purposes of the United Nations, and in reference to the Organization of American States engagement in assisting the redemocratization process in Venezuela, We, the undersigned, exhort to this honorable Council to:

Adopt the Arms Trade Treaty to prohibit trade, transfer, and exchange of firearms and explosives to Venezuela where risk exists of been employed to perpetrate assassinations targeting civilians.

Taking into account the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has not signed the aforementioned treaty, we exhort this honorable council to:

Formulate plans for the establishment of a system to regulate the trade, transfer, and exchange of armaments and war supplies to Venezuela.

In addition, to closely follow up on the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Venezuela, which has escalated to the level of flagrant abuse of Human Rights, we exhort this Honorable Council to:

Implement the Arria-Formula, meeting with representatives from both Venezuelan Civil Society and Venezuelan diaspora, denouncing human rights violations and threats to international security and peace.

Adopt a resolution on Venezuela’s present humanitarian crisis as a risk to international security and peace.

Call the Venezuelan government before the International Criminal Court (ICC) to respond for all human rights violations of the citizens of Venezuela and international detainees.

As concerned citizens we ask this Honorable Council to implement these and any other effective strategies to restore security, peace, and democracy in Venezuela and thanks you ahead of time for your kind consideration to the urgency of this crisis.

Sincerely,

NGO Venezolanos sin Fronteras

Registered in Táchira, Venezuela

NGO VENAMERICA

Registered in Florida, United States.

NGO Centro Civico Venezolano

Registered in New York, United States.

Erik J. Rozo

Nueva York, NY

Antonio Rivero

Miami, FL

Filipp Rodríguez Loginova

Washington DC

Vzlasinfronteras58@gmail.com

Please click the link below to watch the video that shows the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela:

DEADLY REPRESSION IN VENEZUELA. NO MORE WEAPONS!

https://youtu.be/yX27ZqfB7XE

(Begin second letter)

June 20, 2017

United Nations Secretariat

405 East 42nd Street,

New York, NY, 10017

Your Excellency

Mr. António Guterres

Secretary General of the United Nations.

Following the dramatic ongoing events in Venezuela, and deeply moved for the Human Right violation occurring in our country, as well as concerned for Peace and Security on the American Continent, We, the Venezuelan Civil Society and Diaspora, express our deep concern before the International Community to help to putting an end to the ongoing humanitarian crisis produced by President Nicolas Maduro’s regime.

The people of Venezuela, who are currently protesting on the streets, demanding dignified living conditions are being repressed with tear gas grenades (launched targeting the human body), buckshot discharged at point-blank range, firearms, and by means considered crimes against humanity, such as zip guns charged with nails, nuts and bolts; and even official vehicles being used as lethal weapons to hit the crowds. The death toll from these terrorist practices, ordered by the dictatorial regime of Nicolas Maduro, has reached 73 people, more than 2,000 wounded, and at least 1,363 arbitrary detentions. Civilian detainees are being subjected to physical and psychological torture, 370 of them facing trial in military courts.

In the same spirit, and according to Chapter VII of The Charter of United Nations, we are writing to exhort your excellency to take position before the United Nations Security Council on Venezuelan situation, and promote our petition to United National Security Council to adopt the Arms Trade Treaty prohibiting trade, transfer, and exchange of firearms and explosives to Venezuela where most of these weapons are actually used to perpetrate assassinations targeting civilians We thank you in advance for your attention, taking this opportunity to renew to Your Excellency the assurances of our highest and most distinguished consideration.

Sincerely,

NGO Venezolanos sin Fronteras

Registered in Táchira, Venezuela

NGO VENAMERICA

Registered in Florida, United States.

NGO Centro Civico Venezolano

Registered in New York, United States.

Please click the link below to watch the video that shows the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela:

DEADLY REPRESSION IN VENEZUELA. NO MORE WEAPONS!

https://youtu.be/yX27ZqfB7XE

Contact:

Erik J. Rozo

Nueva York, NY

Antonio Rivero

Miami, FL

Filipp Rodríguez Loginova

Washington DC

E-mail:

vzlasinfronteras58@gmail.com