Resolution on the protection of human rights and democracy in Latin America
The IDU expresses its deep concern regarding the rise of populism in Latin-America and the constant prosecution of political dissidents in countries such as Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua.
Although it has been the case for many years when not decades, during 2021 we have been witnessing how the situation of political opposers in these countries is increasingly growing worse. We could also see it in the electoral fraud which took place in Nicaragua on the 7th of November where all the leaders of the opposition were put into prison to keep them from presenting their candidatures. We could see it too with the repression of the peaceful demonstrations which were called in Cuba for the 15th of November and that the government of Díaz Canel tried to silence by intimidating and threatening the Cubans and calling for a civil war. In the case of Venezuela, those who dare question Maduro ́s authority are still surveyed and prosecuted and the number of Venezuelan refugees continues to increase every single day.
Therefore, it is paramount that us democrats do not turn a blind eye to the systematic violation of human rights that is taking place in the region. On the contrary, we must continue to denounce all abuse on the part of these regimes in order to ensure freedom of expression, opinion, association, religion, press, movement and election as well as free trade, private initiative and the respect of private property.
For this reason the International Democratic Union state the following:
1. We condemn the systematic violation of human rights in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.
2. We condemn the authoritarian or outright dictatorial drift of these governments.
3. We asks our governments that they put into place concrete measures to help the democratic opposition in Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela.
4. We suggest the opening of all embassies in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua so that the democratic opposition can make free use of the internet both for their contacts with other dissidents in their countries and so that they can communicate with the outside world.
5. We suggest the maintenance of direct contacts with the democratic opposition by those members of the government who are obliged to visit those countries.