[NYTr] ILO Criticizes Venezuela, Praises Colombia

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Venezuelanalysis - November 17, 2007
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/2846


International Labor Organization Criticizes Venezuela, Praises Colombia

By Chris Carlson

Caracas - The International Labor Organization (ILO) denounced the
Venezuelan government on Thursday, accusing it of abusing the rights of
business owners to freely organize. At the same time, Colombia was
praised for its progress in the protection of labor leaders. Venezuelan
authorities rejected the statements, accusing the ILO of manipulating
the truth for political reasons.

In a report released on Wednesday, the U.N. labor agency called on the
government of President Hugo Chavez to ensure that business groups can
operate "free from violence, pressure, or threats of any kind against
leaders and members." The Venezuelan government was also urged to stop
legal proceedings against senior officials of Fedecamaras, Venezuela's
major business chamber.

Government officials, however, accuse Fedecamaras of being behind the
short-lived coup that took place in 2002, and briefly toppled the
Chavez government. During the coup, a businessman who headed
Fedecamaras, Pedro Carmona, was installed as interim president.

The Chavez government also condemned Fedecamaras' recent call to oppose
the constitutional reform proposal "by all legal means."

The ILO called on the Venezuelan government to ensure that officials of
Fedecamaras, such as ex-presidents Carlos Fernández and Albis Muñoz
have freedom of movement, and the right to free speech through the
media. They also called on the government to abstain from any
interference in the media, and to guarantee independent media in the
country.

The organization denounced the treatment of business-owners'
organizations, claiming that there is a climate of fear, intimidation,
and violence on the part of the Venezuelan government and cited an
incident last March when the exterior of Fedecamaras's offices were
vandalized. They also lamented the fact that the Chavez government has
turned down their offers to provide technical assistance in resolving
the issues.

At the same time, Colombia, one of the most dangerous countries in the
world for labor leaders, was praised in the report. The ILO pointed to
the decrease in the murders of labor leaders over the last 5 years, as
well as the increased government efforts to protect labor groups that
are in danger.

"This reform highlights the activities that the ILO representatives
have done in Colombia, and emphasizes the cooperation that has been
received from the Colombian government, from the business-owners, and
from the workers," said Colombian minister Diego Palacio Betancourt.

Venezuelan authorities rejected the ILO statements, saying that they
distorted the reality of the situation and accused the organization of
responding to certain interests and of "defending neoliberal policies."

"The report has a totally political posture that doesn't have anything
to do with the reality of business-owners in the country, and much less
the economic development that is ending its fourth year of sustained
growth," said Labor Minister José Rivero. "This is due to the fact that
they see the Venezuelan political process as one that goes against
their very particular interests, that doesn't represent the interests
of Venezuelan business owners."

Rivero announced that the Venezuelan government would be presenting a
formal complaint before the ILO and assured that there are many claims
in the report that have already been debunked by the national
government and will be presented at the next ILO meeting in June 2008.

"In the last few years we have been debunking each and every one of the
false claims that they have made in relation to the labor union
activity," said Rivero.

"This is all about putting Venezuela before the world as a country
where there are persecutions and repression of the civil rights of
labor unions," he said. "In Venezuela there is more democratic labor
freedom than ever before."