THE FIFTH Congress of the governing United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), is taking place in Caracas, the Venezuelan capital.
Delegates filled the largest theatre for the inaugural session of the Congress of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), the largest political party in Latin America, founded by former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez.
The Congress aims to update the party line on the new objectives outlined by the Venezuelan President, Nicolás Maduro, for the next eight years, summarised in three R’s: Resistance, Rebirth and Revolution, beginning a new stage of transition to socialism.
The delegates represent 25 social and economic sectors, of the party structure in each state and in the capital.
Also, delegates representing political parties and social sectors from 24 countries from several continents arrived in Venezuela.
At the beginning of the meeting, President Nicolás Maduro asked that there should be no clemency for all those party members found guilty of corruption, in reference to a recent case where members of the PSUV in the western state of Zulia were arrested by police for being part of a drug trafficking network.
2,400 delegates from all over Venezuela will discuss the organisation PSUV, the new medium term challenge which has been called by President Maduro as the new stage of transition to socialism.
Already in a speech last week to the II Workers’ Congress, Maduro had expressed Venezuela’s readiness to provide oil and gas stability to the entire world.
‘The doors of Venezuela are open to invest, to produce oil, to produce gas, and to give oil and gas stability to the whole world, including the United States of America,’ he said last Thursday during his speech at the Workers’ Congress.
Likewise, the Venezuelan president clarified that his country is prepared to increase its production to three million barrels quickly – at the moment they are producing one million barrels.
According to statements by the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), in January, Venezuela produced 755,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
Oil prices have risen due to supply concerns amid international sanctions directed at Russia for its military operation in Ukraine.
Reports indicate that the crisis in Ukraine will inflict economic damage and inflation on the economy worldwide.
Meanwhile, Cuba has condemned the renewal of a US Executive Order of sanctions against Venezuela.
Last Friday, Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez condemned the extension of the executive order of the United States government against Venezuela as a pretext to apply coercive measures against the Venezuelan people.
He said on Twitter that the interference decree considers this South American nation a threat to Washington’s national security and foreign policy, and thus justifies the unjust provisions to promote a regime change in Venezuela.
Last Friday, Venezuela repudiated the decision to renew executive order 13962 of March 8th, 2015, as it lacks support and real evidence, and only worked for the United States to materialise a systematic blockade against Venezuela.
Through a statement, the Bolivarian government condemned the US attacks, by virtue of its abusive, inhumane and violating character of the legal order and the principles that regulate international relations between independent, free and sovereign countries.
It said: ‘We reject the extension of the Executive Order of the US government that considers Venezuela a threat to its national security and foreign policy and that serves as a pretext to apply unfair unilateral coercive measures against the Bolivarian people.
‘After seven years of using this instrument to perpetrate multiple international law violations, by the US government and its allies, the people of Venezuela reaffirm its spirit of struggle and resistance, and its firm and irreversible conviction to defend its sovereignty.’
Following the order signed by then-President Barack Obama, the United States intensified its attacks in order to cause the collapse of the country’s economy and stimulate a regime change.
According to Venezuelan President Maduro, the country is facing the effects of more than 500 unilateral coercive measures as part of the US hostile strategy.
The Cuban permanent envoy to the UN has condemned the double standard in evidence concerning human rights during the session to discuss the Ukraine conflict.
Last Friday, Juan Antonio Quintanilla, Cuban ambassador to the UN, rejected the double standards and selectivity when treating human rights, shown once more during the special sessions of United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) celebrated for treating the current situation of Ukraine.
The diplomat stressed the manipulation of the matter for political endings, shown by the resolution approved with a marked imbalance on the situation in Ukraine.
Quintanilla explained his abstention in the representation of the Island during the voting process to support the resolution, saying that the Council has not yet issued resolutions on serious facts such as extrajudicial executions, the imposition of unilateral coercive measures, and criminal blockades against entire peoples, as well as the establishment of concentration camps and torture.
‘This has not been allowed by many of those who today demand immediate action in the face of the events in Ukraine,’ he noted at the session.
The lawmaker highlighted that the resolution violates the basic principles of respectful dialogue, non-selectivity, and non-politicisation that should guide the work of the Council.
The Caribbean Island continues to stand for a diplomatic solution to the current conflict between Ukraine and Russia, where both parties could achieve the basic principles of respectful dialogue, non-selectivity, and non-politicisation that should guide the work of the Council.
Quintanilla underlined Cuba’s commitment to International Law and the UN Charter during the session.
‘We defend peace in all circumstances and we oppose, without ambiguity, the use or threat of the use of force against any State.
‘We are committed to international humanitarian law and call on all parties to protect the population, their property, and civilian infrastructure,’ he stated.
Quintanilla said in addition that as a matter of principle, Cuba’s government stands in the position of the Non-Aligned Movement against resolutions and mandates to be imposed against nations.
Last Thursday, Cuba rejected the European blockade of Russia Today and Sputnik.
The ban also affected ‘There Goes It to Y’All!’ (Ahi Les Va!) a programme broadcast by journalist Inna Afinogenova and watched by millions of Latin Americans.
‘With this decision, the EU limited the access to information and communication technologies for millions of citizens at a time of information contingency,’ Rodriguez tweeted.
Last Tuesday, the US vetoed these media broadcasts alleging they are part of the Russian ‘war machine’.
Shortly after, and on the same basis, Google Europe and Meta, the company owning Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, blocked access to these media from their platforms.
Rodriguez considered this policy a paradox because these companies have previously protected the manipulation of information and the proliferation of discriminatory and hateful messages.
‘The EU cannot justify this attitude either since it constantly does everything in its power to defend its geopolitical interests,’ he recalled, stressing that several European countries have provided Ukraine with arms to attack the Russian army.
