Venezuela Reaffirms Cooperation With UN on Human Rights

RELATED: Majority of Venezuelans Against U.S. Sanctions, Poll Reveals

In a meeting with the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, the top diplomat said that his government assumes the protection and respect for fundamental rights as a state policy.

This is part of the minister’s agenda during the 43rd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, where Arreaza denounced the actions of the United States against Venezuela as crimes against humanity.

"These measures kill, generate suffering, are not authorized by any institution, cannot be considered legal under international law and we must stop them," the head of Venezuela’s diplomacy maintained. 

In his speech, Arreaza said that the unilateral coercive measures that the U.S. has imposed on the Latin American nation since 2014 have caused losses of US$120 billion, adding that U.S. Department of Treasury is now the new “economic Pentagon” in commanding the war against Venezuela, and other countries, such as Iran and Cuba.

Likewise, the Venezuelan minister said that the country will promote the defense of the right to the development of nations and fight against racial discrimination, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance.

The Venezuelan delegation also met with Human Rights expert and former U.N. Human Rights Rapporteur Alfred De Zayas, who gave advice and support for the Venezuelan-led case presented against the U.S. to the International Criminal Court. 

"Venezuela turns to the International Criminal Court to vindicate international law and the validity of multilateral institutions in search of justice," Arreaza reminded the Human Rights Council in Geneva.

The application of unilateral economic sanctions is an explicit violation of international law protected under the United Nation’s (U.N.) and Organization of American States’ (OAS) charters, and human rights stipulations.