Caracas, November 17, 2007 (venezuelanalysis.com) - The International Labor Organization (ILO) denounced the Venezuelan government on Thursday, accusing it of abusing the rights of business owners to freely organize. At the same time, Colombia was praised for its progress in the protection of labor leaders. Venezuelan authorities rejected the statements, accusing the ILO of manipulating the truth for political reasons.
In a report released on Wednesday, the U.N. labor agency called on the government of President Hugo Chavez to ensure that business groups can operate "free from violence, pressure, or threats of any kind against leaders and members." The Venezuelan government was also urged to stop legal proceedings against senior officials of Fedecamaras, Venezuela's major business chamber.
Government officials, however, accuse Fedecamaras of being behind the short-lived coup that took place in 2002, and briefly toppled the Chavez government. During the coup, a businessman who headed Fedecamaras, Pedro Carmona, was installed as interim president.
The Chavez government also condemned Fedecamaras' recent call to oppose the constitutional reform proposal "by all legal means."
The ILO called on the Venezuelan government to ensure that officials of Fedecamaras, such as ex-presidents Carlos Fernández and Albis Muñoz have freedom of movement, and the right to free speech through the media. They also called on the government to abstain from any interference in the media, and to guarantee independent media in the country.
The organization denounced the treatment of business-owners' organizations, claiming that there is a climate of fear, intimidation, and violence on the part of the Venezuelan government and cited an incident last March when the exterior of Fedecamaras's offices were vandalized. They also lamented the fact that the Chavez government has turned down their offers to provide technical assistance in resolving the issues.
At the same time, Colombia, one of the most dangerous countries in the world for labor leaders, was praised in the report. The ILO pointed to the decrease in the murders of labor leaders over the last 5 years, as well as the increased government efforts to protect labor groups that are in danger.
"This reform highlights the activities that the ILO representatives have done in Colombia, and emphasizes the cooperation that has been received from the Colombian government, from the business-owners, and from the workers," said Colombian minister Diego Palacio Betancourt.
Venezuelan authorities rejected the ILO statements, saying that they distorted the reality of the situation and accused the organization of responding to certain interests and of "defending neoliberal policies."
"The report has a totally political posture that doesn't have anything to do with the reality of business-owners in the country, and much less the economic development that is ending its fourth year of sustained growth," said Labor Minister José Rivero. "This is due to the fact that they see the Venezuelan political process as one that goes against their very particular interests, that doesn't represent the interests of Venezuelan business owners."
Rivero announced that the Venezuelan government would be presenting a formal complaint before the ILO and assured that there are many claims in the report that have already been debunked by the national government and will be presented at the next ILO meeting in June 2008.
"In the last few years we have been debunking each and every one of the false claims that they have made in relation to the labor union activity," said Rivero.
"This is all about putting Venezuela before the world as a country where there are persecutions and repression of the civil rights of labor unions," he said. "In Venezuela there is more democratic labor freedom than ever before."
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http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2846I'm so sick of corrupt labor leaders!
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