Venezuela
On Wednesday, President Nicolás Maduro virtually addressed the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York. He stressed the importance of the UN facilitating the construction of a “multipolar, ‘pluricentric’ world without imperialistic hegemony,” in a clear jab at the United States (US) and its allies. He also warned that the international order must be grounded in “cooperation and dialogue” that respects the “ideological, cultural, political, and religious diversity of people throughout the world” and be liberated from “hegemonic empires” who seek “economic, financial, military, or political domination.” He declared that such hegemons have for centuries “plundered, dominated, and oppressed people throughout the world with their old rapacious colonialism” and are now attempting to impose new forms of colonialism, looting, and exploitation.
Maduro thus called for a new world that is free of colonialism and imperialism and one that is free of any hegemon. He then directly referred to the US, saying: “Venezuela has frequently spoken out against the ferocious onslaught, the merciless campaign waged against our country, by the elites that govern the United States with the complicity of the elites at the helm of organisations in Europe and elsewhere. They have sought to manipulate international organisations and international law in an attempt to justify their merciless campaign and criminal aggressions against the noble, peaceful, and democratic people of Venezuela.”
Next, the Venezuelan leader declared: “Venezuela denounces a savage campaign, a permanent systematic aggression, waged through cruel sanctions, a persecution of the right to economic freedom [and] violating the economic rights and guarantees to which are people are entitled.” He said this “financial, monetary, economic persecution” has impacted Venezuela’s to purchase necessary goods and services and also export that which it produces, decrying how bank accounts worldwide have been frozen, how Venezuela’s gold held in London has been seized, and how Venezuelan companies are prevented from opening bank accounts to receive payment for their products.
Keeping this in mind, Maduro once again demanded an end to the “criminal sanctions imposed on the Venezuelan economy and society by the United States and the European Union be lifted.” He also welcomed the support Venezuela has received in this regard from Cuba, which is also demanding an end to a US blockade.
Maduro then referred to a report by the UN special rapporteur on sanctions, which he said has determined that sanctions against Venezuela must be removed and that international humanitarian law and Venezuela’s freedoms as a sovereign nation must be respected.
In addition, he denounced an attempted opposition-led coup and assassination in May 2020 which he said was facilitated by foreign actors. Maduro said his government had brought these ‘radical’ elements in Venezuelan politics under control and back to the negotiation table, and thanked Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador for allowing talks between the government and the opposition to be held in Mexico.
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Guatemala
President Alejandro Giammattei began by expressing concern about vaccine inequity and the spread of new and deadly variants. He also talked about the infrastructural and agricultural damage caused by climate change.
Subsequently, the Guatemalan president outlined five pillars of his governance: social and healthcare programs that aim to increase the country’s human development indices; environmental protection by transitioning to renewable energy; food and nutritional security through food aid and community farming initiatives; migrant protection by fighting back against human trafficking and tackling the root causes of migration at the source; economic recovery by empowering local producers, and through foreign investment, to generate both jobs and exports; and confronting transnational organised crime, particularly with regards to drug trafficking, by working with regional partners.
More specifically on drug trafficking, the Guatemalan leader said his country has broken up 15 drug trafficking rings and destabilised six, identified 2,855 people associated with drug trade, seized 19,000 kilos of cocaine and 7,000 pounds of marijuana, and destroyed 1,565,000 cocaine plants, over 4,299,000 marijuana plants, and 5,929,000 opium poppy plants. His government is also working on tackling maritime drug trafficking. He said, however, that the “consuming countries” must take greater responsibility to combat money laundering, and repatriate the capital that is currently ending up in the banks of the consuming countries.
Next, Giammattei demanded “flexible and quality” financing as a form of “social compensation” to address the impacts of climate change and the associated natural disasters, saying that the carbon-intensive economic practices of developed countries are leaving developing countries highly vulnerable.
He also called for the reform and modernisation of the UN Security Council to approach the world’s issues “without ideological bias” and in a more “more objective and more equitable” manner. Furthermore, he said there must be a more responsible use of the veto power, and noted that Taiwan can play a key role in the “strengthening of multilateralism.”
Giammattei firmly condemned all nuclear testing and advocated against the use of nuclear weapons in all circumstances.
Towards the end of this speech, the Guatemalan president said he is open to resolving the country’s maritime dispute with Belize in an international forum.
Honduras
President Juan Orlando Hernández began his speech by noting Honduras’ role in bringing attention to the impact of climate change, low coffee prices, organised crime and gang warfare, the erosion of democracy, and vaccine inequity. He said there is a need to reform the World Health Organization in light the inequities in the timely distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
Hernández lamented that aside from the pandemic, Honduras was also struck by two hurricanes in 2020, which destroyed agriculture, homes, and various forms of infrastructure, all of which amounted to around $4 billion in losses, or 30% of the country’s GDP. In fact, 445,000 people lost their jobs as a result of these severe climatic events. While Honduras is adapting its forestry and agricultural practices, and increasing rainwater harvesting, Hernández said there is a need for greater international involvement in mitigating the effects of climate change. Looking ahead to the COP26 summit in Glasgow, the Honduran leader said it is imperative that countries honour the commitments they made in the Paris Climate Accords.
He hailed the role of the International Monetary Fund in providing access to low-interest credit, which he said has led to job, infrastructural, and manufacturing growth. He also spoke of Honduras’ role in combating corruption through the Organization of American States.
Hernández further said that his government has enacted new security laws to put a stop to drugs that pass through Honduras and also punish those who are involved in drug trade. He repeatedly refuted any allegations of his own involvement in drug trafficking, despite arrested traffickers saying that the president has accepted millions in bribes in return for protection from prosecutors, law, enforcement, and extradition to the US.