Inter-Parliamentary Union - British Group - PARLIAMENTARY DELEGATION TO VENEZUELA, 30 OCTOBER to 3 NOVEMBER 2006


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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.