A year in the OAS Strike Reasons remain valid 11/25/2009 Dear Secretary General Insulza. Regards, Julio Rivas writes the Venezuelan student who recently met with you. Given that since the last visit to Washington in Venezuela, things have deteriorated over the issue of human rights in my country today, we remain students a hunger strike, requesting government permission for the entry of the Commission. So far we have over 100 hours without eating, and students who are unconscious and decompensated have refused to retreat to meet the target. hope I see you trying to reach a happy end to this strike, both which can exert pressure for the government to authorize the entry or for you to be part protagonist of this solution. These days I have been reading the Democratic Charter and found in Article 3 that "are essential elements of representative democracy, including respect for rights fundamental freedoms and the separation and independence of public powers "and Article 18 which allows you to have government consent visits to member countries for analysis of situations that could affect the democratic development . Since the essential element of democracy is respect for human rights and the independence of public powers, and taking into account that the government does not allow the visit of the Commission to verify this situation, it definitely deserves you with the compliance of those rules visit to Venezuela. Tomorrow we will present a formal document at the embassy, \u200b\u200bwhere they remain on strike. I ask Mr. Secretary, on behalf of youth who longs to live in a country where respect for human rights and the rule of law is the norm, to help us, I ask on behalf of the Venezuelan reveindique value the international body representing attentive to your response. Julio Cesar Rivas Castillo __________________________________________________________
26/11/2009
Caracas Julio Rivas
Present
Dear Don Julio:
very much regret the situation that has produced and I would intercede with You to stop a hunger strike that threatens their health and, I fear, is difficult to obtain objectives. You well remember that I have pointed out, as well as our Human Rights Commission, which is not possible to visit her country without invitation from the government of that country. It is certainly a limitation for the action of a Commission should play with total autonomy, but it is so I do not think that is modified in the future.
you remember well two articles of the American Democratic Charter and, as you quoted it yourself, it knows that to go on mission under the Charter, the Secretary-General also must have the consent of the Government. Cito and I emphasize that you manifest "Article 18 which allows you have the consent of Government visits to member countries for analysis of situations that could affect the democratic development. "
then as you do not see in the paragraph that follows asks me" in accordance with those rules " I visited Venezuela. what says "this norm" is that to do so I have to have the consent of the Government. That is, a situation similar to that of the Human Rights Commission.
why I say that I think position you must be revised. the Commission shall issue a report soon on the situation of human rights, although the visit has not been possible. I ask sincerely that they no longer risking their health, you are young and will have many opportunities to express their ideals without resorting to extreme measures will not solve the situation this time.
For my part, I promise, as usual, monitor the development of the facts and make whatever steps are possible to achieve a satisfactory solution. but in the meantime, please do not risk your health and that of their peers. Sincerely
Jose Miguel Insulza
____________________________________________________________
02/12/2009 (after so many) Honorable Secretary General Insulza First of all a warm greeting from my plight, he I write on this occasion to inquire how it has gone with the talks with the Venezuelan government. would like to know to be clear where we are standing, my fellow serious health in my city Valencia 2 companions were hospitalized with kidney failure, irreversible damage to the kidneys, here in Caracas although some are refusing to be serious retired and have signed the Treaty of Malta. I reiterate that we are committed to rescue the respect for democratic principles and values, and this includes a sacrifice to reaffirm our struggle for human rights, we owe it to the comrades who have already marked their lives with health problems that will remain forever, winning achievements for the principles we have pursued, there are students who have been on strike radicalized and consuming only water without any serum. Dr. Insulza, we understand all the diplomatic hurdles and obstacles all so stupid government like ours, but I ask on behalf of youth, students and all of a violated people, to do everything to its power to prove to society that democracy is if you have mechanisms to defend those who would scorn. With respect, Julio Cesar Rivas Castillo ___________________________________________________________________ 12/02/2009
Dear Mr. Rivas:
I made some inquiries to see how we can meet the demands of you, in the sense of a visit to Venezuela of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights of the OAS or , failing that, a high-level mission of the Organization itself. I am currently awaiting response to these approaches.
However, to avoid creating wrong expectations, I must say that I have made it clear that opposition to the visit of the IACHR is not just about the possible presence there of the Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Santiago Canton, but more general negative evaluation work Commission by the Government. What I mean is that with the simple exclusion of a person does not solve the problem (actually, the Secretary of the Commission rarely participates in the encounters). The decision is political and therefore may have a greater delay.
Needless to reiterate that this Department would like all members receive the visits of the Commission and abide by its rules, which would effectively strengthen the validity of our human rights system, one of the greatest values \u200b\u200bof our Organization. But also to the Secretariat and the Commission will be following the rules that govern them and they have that visits by the Commission (and also the General Secretariat on the Inter-American Democratic Charter) should be accepted by the State concerned.
For these reasons, once again, I ask you to desist from a measure of pressure as far as the hunger strike to demand something that can not be resolved in the near future. You can be assured that we will continue insisting on this issue with the authorities in Venezuela, but I beg to depose the same attitude, which can only harm you and your families. Sincerely
José Miguel Insulza
_________________________________________________________________ Dear Secretary General Insulza I appreciate your response and the steps you are doing. But I wish to reiterate that those who have undertaken this hunger strike as a means of protest, we are not playing or rent in our purpose just because the Venezuelan government refused to comply with their duties responsibly to international organizations of which it is active. As stated by you, this is a political problem, but that's a problem of justice and defense of universal values \u200b\u200bthat almost no one disputes in the world. That said, we must recognize that the organization of which you are Secretary-General owes an enormous debt with Venezuela, which previously was recognized as the driving principles and democratic practices in Africa. We need not have lived long to detect what they are cowed and complicit in many countries that are further to the atrocities of the regime that destroyed Venezuela. I confess I had expected a stronger response from you. Before birth we Venezuela gave shelter to thousands of people, even Chileans fleeing the dictatorship. I have that support is given unconditionally and without hesitation, that unfortunately in this last communication perceive you. Finally Mr. Secretary, what we face is simple. O caved before which oppresses us and leads us to disaster, or even the life at stake to preserve the collective good. Our response to repeated aggression and abuse is peaceful but firm. Our commitment is to improve conditions for all Venezuelans and if we lose this purpose the health or life well worth the effort. The point of living in a country where life is not worth anything, where hope is only an illusion, and where a government with impunity daily mocks the suffering of the citizens. formal and respectfully ask you, continue to make efforts, recalling the alternative in which you yourself could lead the visit, to make public their requirements the Venezuelan government and that faith to the world of the reasons why the government of Hugo Chávez shuns its obligations as a member of the American system. I for one will declare publicly our last email exchange on the grounds that they represent a first, important but incomplete response to our requirements. Sincerely, Julio Cesar Rivas Castillo ______________________________________________________________
After this, a high-level commission of the OAS visited the strikers who remained in the embassy of the OAS in Caracas (1907-1912 - 2009) and comprometiron publicly with the strikers to the OAS Secretary Gral would visit Venezuela in January and February 2010.
LADY IN THE JUNGLE 
