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Delegation Reports
PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION FROM VENEZUELA
FROM 30 OCTOBER TO 3 NOVEMBER 2006
Venezuela Inward Visit
30 October to 3 November 2006
Delegation
Deputy Augusto Montiel Leader of the Venezuelan-UK
Parliamentary Friendship Group
Deputy Raul Alvarez Bracamonte
Deputy Ulises Daal
Mr Rafael Hernandez
Delegation secretary
The official programme began on Monday morning with a visit to the Trade
Union Council (TUC) where delegates were greeted by the Deputy General
Secretary, Frances O’Grady, who had recently visited Caracas and
representatives from the National Union of Journalists, AMICUS and the
Transport & General Workers Union.
The delegation explained how, in the past, the Trade Union movement in
Venezuela had been hijacked by outside interests and how officials had
not worked in the best interests of their members. Also the unions representing
the mass media had for many years operated a closed shop policy.
More recently, constitutional and judicial reforms introduced under President
Chavez have revitalised the movement which is now working to represent
the interests of all workers.
The delegation also complained about the intransigence of the International
Trade Union Movement and the ILO in particular, which they claimed does
not seem to grasp what is happening in Venezuela. Workers support the
revolution, and in turn the revolution supports the workers through the
reform process.
When asked about the forthcoming Presidential election on 3 December,
Deputy Daal said that opposition support had fallen so much recently that
there is now a real danger that they may withdraw from the election at
the last minute, in an attempt to discredit the whole process. Ambassador
Hardy also interjected to say that the US Government was trying to derail
the election with reports that President Chavez was somehow personally
involved in the company that supplies the electronic voting system.
The delegation then moved on to the Home Office for a meeting with Mr
Trevor Crook, head of the supply, distribution and enforcement section
of the Drugs Strategy Directorate. Mr Crook gave a brief presentation
on the size of the drug problem in the United Kingdom including sources
of supply and also outlined some of the preventative measures that have
been introduced to control the problem.
The delegation said that the geographical position of Venezuela enabled
them to take measures against drug trafficking, and they have had some
recent successes. Nevertheless, they recognised that they need to strengthen
and reorganise their policy and there are plans to introduce a new parliamentary
commission on drugs.
The delegates were particularly interested in the financial controls introduced
in the UK against convicted drug dealers and asked that details be forwarded
to them via their embassy in London. They said that they would like to
facilitate a technical exchange of experiences between our two countries.
Mr Montiel concluded the meeting by asking why, when it comes to the drugs
trade, Holland and Belgium, the main supply centres in Europe, are not
considered as centres of evil like Latin American producer countries.
Following lunch in the Atrium restaurant jointly hosted by Adam Price
MP and Colin Burgon MP, the delegates travelled to North London to visit
the constituency of Jeremy Corbyn MP in Islington. They toured the new
Whittington Hospital, due to be officially opened the following week,
called in on his constituency office and visited a nearby community centre.
The official welcoming dinner in the Herbert Morrison Suite, London Marriot
County Hall Hotel was hosted by Dr Roger Berry MP and attended by other
members of the BGIPU.
Tuesday started with a tour of the Palace of Westminster before moving
on to a meeting with Ken Livingstone, Mayor of London, and the Greater
London Authority. The delegation expressed their thanks to Mayor Livingstone
for his support for President Chavez’s socialist reform agenda and
for his part in helping to develop social justice in their country, together
with his declaration of solidarity and mutual understanding.
They then went on to outline their continuing problems with the US Government
and its alleged campaign to destabilise the forthcoming December presidential
election. The delegation extended a warm invitation for the Mayor to visit
Caracas to address the Venezuela parliament.
Bob Blizzard MP, Chair and other members of the Latin American All Party
Group, hosted a lunch for the delegation in the Astor Suite, 1 Parliament
Street before the delegates moved on to meeting with members of the Foreign
Affairs Select Committee (FAC).
The discussion with the FAC was about Venezuela’s relations with
its neighbours, and Mike Gapes MP, Chair of the committee, asked the delegation
if they thought it was in their country’s best interest to have
provocative relations with the United States.
In response, the delegation said that Venezuela wanted good relations
with all of its neighbours. They do not see themselves as being provocative
but as restoring their self respect, economic sovereignty and dignity.
Venezuela intends to share its wealth with its neighbours.
As regards the US, why should Venezuela not question its motives, they
asked; after all the US makes many interventions in Latin America that
go unchallenged and Venezuela feels that this is a problem that should
be addressed.
President Chavez visited the US several times in the Clinton era without
giving offence; he does not deliberately offend country leaders, the delegation
maintained, and he has great respect for the sovereign state. Venezuela
has always guaranteed its legal contracts with other countries but the
US has openly disregarded its contract obligations signed over the years
with Venezuela on military supplies.
The delegates also indicated that they believed that the US fostered and
financed the attempted coup in 2002 when oil installations were attacked.
In response to a final question by Sir John Stanley MP on UK policy and
support for Venezuela, the delegation stated that their country was complying
with the Millennium Goals and that it was something that President Chavez
always refers to at international forums.
In the evening, the delegates met members of Canning House in the Salon
Colombia. The question and answer session, which was chaired by Lord Brennan
QC, Vice-President of Canning House, included discussion on the withdrawal
of opposition parties from the Venezuelan parliamentary elections last
year, Chavez's social reforms and the development of tourism.
The delegation then attended a Cuban cultural evening at the Melia Whitehouse
Hotel before moving on to dinner with the Venezuelan Ambassador, His Excellency
Mr Alfredo Toro-Hardy at his official residence.
Wednesday started with one of the centre pieces of the official programme,
a two-our round table discussion with members of the BGIPU, aired by Mark
Prichard MP, Vice Chair of the Venezuela All Party Parliamentary Group.
The talks were wide ranging, touching on such diverse topics as Scotch
whisky import licences, freedom of the press, Chavezs’ socialist
revolution, oil and gas relations with the US, diversification & land
distribution, education, the elimination of poverty and illiteracy, as
well as the development of the tourist industry.
The delegation then went to the House of Commons Gallery for Prime Minister’s
Questions before attending a Government Lunch at Lancaster House hosted
by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon.
Following lunch, the delegation departed for Heathrow to catch a flight
to Aberdeen and an evening engagement with the Lord Provost, Councillor
John Reynolds. The aim of the visit was to emphasise the benefits of an
oil economy and to demonstrate the knock on effect it has on other sectors
of the economy.
Thursday, the last full day of the programme, began with breakfast at
the Thistle Hotel with seventy Venezuelan students currently studying
at Robert Gordon University. The students are full time employees of Petroleos
de Venezuela (PDVSA), the State oil and gas company, many of whom will
go on to take full Masters degrees at the university.
The delegation then visited the Wood Group, one of the largest UK companies
operating in Venezuela, providing engineering expertise in the repair
and maintenance of industrial gas turbines. Lunch at the Waterside Inn
Peterhead was hosted by the Lord Provost of Aberdeenshire, Councillor
Raymond Bisset, on behalf of the Peterhead Harbour Board.
On the way back to Aberdeen, the delegates paid a quick visit to the Glen
Garioch Whisky Distillery before moving on to the last visit of the day
with Diageo, Venezuela’s largest Rum producer and Scottish Whisky
importer. The delegation flew back to London on Thursday evening and departed
for Caracas early on Friday morning.
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