Venezuela, 1999

First, I

wish to express my very great pleasure at speaking for the

first time in this world forum as head of State and at

greeting its members on behalf of the people of Venezuela

and my Government, and particularly at speaking at this

session of the General Assembly, the last of this century

and millennium, which, for us, adds special meaning to

the event.

My presence here also affords me an opportunity to

express some ideas on the times and circumstances in

which we are now living, all of us worldwide but also,

and a little more specifically, about times and

circumstances in my own country. These are times and

circumstances, Mr. President and members, which of

course we share with you.

A few years ago, when the Berlin Wall fell, I think

someone said that peace had broken out. I truly believe

that that expression covers a series of phenomena which

began to surface at that time and subsequently evolved

and developed to become part of the global scenario. In

my view, this rapid emergence of phenomena,

simultaneously all round the world, each of them with so

many distinguishing characteristics, has made it more

difficult to understand, appreciate and realistically

perceive what is actually happening in the world today.

Many analysts of that time spoke of quantum leaps.

I believe that a quantum leap is indeed under way; there

is an ongoing process of universal change, mutation even.

I also believe that we must sharpen our ability to analyse

and observe this phenomenon — open conflicts, resurgent

nationalisms, racial and religious conflicts — which are

occurring in a world that is undergoing processes of

fusion while at the same time undergoing dangerous and

alarming processes of fission. We are entering the new

century with these signs around us which at one and the

same time are cause for concern and reason for optimism

at the changes unfolding. Actually, there are many

praiseworthy things about the century that is closing, but

there are also many things worthy of condemnation and

from which we should learn our lesson so that they do not

recur.

Within that process of universal change, there is a

country small in size, a nearby country — Venezuela —

that faces its own changes; a country that is undertaking its

own irrevocable and necessary changes; a country that is

being reborn from its own ashes; a country that is once

again raising the flag of true, authentic democracy. I shall

speak a few words here about that country, my country, our

country, your country: Venezuela. Venezuela, blessed by

the hand of God; Venezuela, in the very north with an

outstanding geographic location; Venezuela, full of

incalculable natural wealth; Venezuela, which has one of

the world’s largest oil reserves and mineral resources of all

kinds, such as gold, diamonds, bauxite and iron ore;

Venezuela, which has water; Venezuela, which has fertile

soil; Venezuela, which has scarcely 20 million inhabitants

for almost 1 million square kilometres. But 80 per cent of

the inhabitants of this wealth-filled country are poor.

For many years it was said of Venezuela that it was a

model of democracy in the world and in Latin America.

However, today it is undergoing a process of profound

change, a crisis unprecedented in our history — a moral

crisis, an economic crisis, a political crisis, a social

crisis — which has brought it to dangerous extremes, with

explosive forces that have been building for decades.

Even so, in Venezuela we have found a peaceful way

out of the morass, the tragedy. We have discovered a way

that is fully democratic. We have encouraged changes in

Venezuela towards respect for human rights, as is right and

proper, because, however tragic the situation, however

urgent the need for change, never, in our view, should

human rights, respect for freedom of expression, respect for

the intrinsic values of the individual, respect for freedom of

the press and respect for freedom of thought be set aside.

The Venezuelan people has arisen from its own ashes.

I should also like to add — and you, Mr. President,

and members undoubtedly know this — that the

Venezuelan people is a people with a great historical

legacy: it is the birthplace of Simón Bol'var, the Liberator,

one of the greats of the millennium. Venezuela carries in its

essence the seed of democracy, of fraternity and solidarity.

We must therefore acknowledge the ability of Venezuelan

people, which we represent here in this Assembly, to find

peaceful and democratic solutions to a profound crisis

which in other places and other eras, would have given

rise to the violent and regrettable acts that have

submerged many peoples in fratricidal conflict for years

and even decades at a time.

We know that the world has had a great deal of

news about Venezuela in recent months, some of it a little

disturbing as a result of the confusion and speed of the

changes. I thank representatives for allowing me a few

minutes to take the opportunity to assure the entire world

that in Venezuela there was respect, is respect and will

continue to be respect for a democratic process which

emanates from the will of the people. For example, last

December there were elections in Venezuela, which

produced a positive result for democracy. We won the

elections with almost 60 per cent of the popular vote.

Subsequently, on 2 February this year, the very day

that we arrived at the Government Palace, we did

something which had never before happened in my

country: we called for a national referendum. In that

referendum, held on 25 April, the country voted for the

electoral path leading to a constituent assembly. Ninety-

two per cent said “Yes”, and on 25 July there were open

elections, in which all political and social sectors

participated, with absolute freedom of expression,

freedom of criticism and freedom of the press, the likes

of which had never occurred in my country.

The National Constituent Assembly that resulted

from that electoral process consists of 131 Venezuelan

men and women, representing the broadest segments of

society, including indigenous peoples, because for the first

time in Venezuela's history a group of aborigines

represent the indigenous peoples of Venezuela in the great

Assembly. The Assembly members have been working

together for a month and a half on a new national

constitution in a mechanism of cooperation. The entire

country is promoting progress towards this new

Constitution; for the sake of the democracy we are

defending and advocating, it will be approved only by the

country. It will not enter into force until it is approved by

the Venezuelans in a new referendum, which we hope

will be held in November, or at the latest in December.

In other words, when the new century dawns next

year Venezuela will have a new political project, a

fundamental new charter as the foundation of the new

Republic and of truly legitimate executive power

governing by democracy — as Abraham Lincoln said, for

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the people and by the people. We will have a genuine

judicial power, which we had lost in the past few years

owing to corruption. This judicial power will administer

justice. We rely on true legislative power to respond to the

calls and needs of the Venezuelan people.

We also propose the establishment of a fourth

power — moral power — to combat corruption, the mother

of all Venezuelan crises of recent years, and to fight for

education, especially for children. We further propose an

electoral power to achieve a balance of power. There will

be a division of powers, particularly legitimate powers, with

the profound popular content of true democracy.

We are also promoting a new economic model for

Venezuela. For 20 years we experienced a terrible crisis

that produced the breakdown of a country, the breakdown

of a model. We are now promoting a humanistic,

productive, competitive and diversified economic model,

based on the great potential of our country and

incorporating the world currents of a new international

economic order, with greater justice and a human face,

which will facilitate satisfying the needs of the human

being. This must be one of the fundamental goals of any

economic process.

In just over six months we have been able to come

here to tell the world of our successes — small successes,

but they presage what is going to happen in Venezuela. We

have undertaken an economic revitalization, respecting all

economic freedoms. In a healthy coexistence between the

State and the market, we have been gaining ground in the

macroeconomic area. We have started to bring down

inflation; maintained our international reserves; helped raise

the price of a barrel of oil, in cooperation with the other

oil-producing countries; and brought about an exchange

balance. We have also been revitalizing some production

sectors, and we are calling on global investors to invest in

various petrochemical, gas, touristic, industrial and

agricultural projects and enterprises. We are thus building

a new economic model.

We are also building a new society based on public

morality in respect of human rights. I shall give an

example, small, but one which says a lot about what is

happening in Venezuela in terms of the social order. Barely

three days ago the 1999-2000 school year began. This year

the school matriculation — that is, the number of students

in public schools — increased by 25 per cent. As a result

of a model of privatization of education, and of the poverty

that has been invading the social strata, many children and

young people did not go to school; they could not pay the

fees, nor could they pay for school supplies. This year we

have opened up the schools and we have been repairing

them. Now we are very happy to tell the world that in

just six months the number of children and young people

starting a new school year has increased by 25 per cent.

Furthermore, attention to education has gone beyond

being one of the principal national priorities; it is now a

matter of States.

The same can be said of health. We have activated

a special plan which we call “Project Bolivar 2000”. For

six months we have been dealing with Venezuelans'

greatest needs, such as health, road repairs and opening

ways of penetration and activation of some sectors of

microenterprises. We have set up a people's bank to

provide microcredit especially to bring about the recovery

of the economy, the microeconomy. We have created a

unique social fund to promote solutions basically for

health and education.

As can be seen, we are promoting a genuine process

of transition: politically, socially, economically and, above

all, ethically. A new Venezuela is being born, born to

present itself to the world free and sovereign, ready to

take up firmly the flags of a new world, a fairer world.

We are in solidarity with the struggles of the world. The

world of the century to come must be much better than

the world of the twentieth century which is ending. We

call out for justice for the peoples of the third world, for

equality and human development. We appeal for the

integration of peoples and for peace. Only a country

revitalized from within can be incorporated by its own

strength into the international relations of a modern world,

such as the world which is dawning.

In this part of South America, Venezuela is being

reborn and offering the world its heart, its arms of

integration. I give a special salute to all the peoples of the

Latin American continent and the Caribbean, Central

America, North America, Asia, Africa, Europe and

Oceania. We must continue together, with a new sense of

brotherhood, to struggle for a better world.

In this my first statement to the General Assembly,

in the last session of the century, when we are preparing

for the Millennium Assembly, I should like to

congratulate you, Mr. President, the Secretary-General

and all the world representatives gathered here at the

United Nations, because we are aware of the great effort

being made to reform and perfect the machinery to

achieve peace, brotherhood and solidarity in a world that

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is, as I said at the beginning, undergoing profound change.

These words come from my heart and go out to the

entire world in the name of a people who are themselves

being reborn — the Venezuelan people — with our best

wishes that each day we may find greater strength and

come closer to attaining — as I said before — the path to

peace, brotherhood, development, justice and self-

determination. Let us not say as someone else has said that

peace has broken out. Rather, let us say that in the next few

years we may all be able to proclaim loudly that peace,

democracy and development have triumphed.

I send a warm embrace to you all on behalf of the

people of Simon Bolivar, the people of Venezuela.