Influential National Security, Human Rights Leaders Urge Opposition to Venezuela’s Security Council Bid

Center for Security Policy October 14, 2014

(WASHINGTON, DC): On the eve of action by the United Nations on Venezuela’s bid for a rotating two-year term on the Security Council, a group of national security and human rights experts has written President Obama urging him to ensure that the United States exercises all prerogatives available to it as a permanent member of the Security Council to oppose vigorously this initiative.

The group’s letter to President Obama notes that starting with the leadership of the late Hugo Chavez – and presently under the leadership of Nicolas Maduro – the government of Venezuela has undertaken policies hostile both to security and human rights in our hemisphere and beyond, including: the provision of safe havens within Venezuela, and other forms of material support, to terrorist organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the FARC; support for the nuclear weapons ambitions of North Korea and Iran; and harsh repression of the Venezuelan people.

Among the signatories of the letter, organized by the Center for Security Policy, were:

Otto Reich, Former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela; Former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs
Roger F. Noriega, Former Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs; Former U.S. Ambassador to the Organization of American States (OAS)
J. Kenneth Blackwell, Former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Human Rights Commission
James “Ace” Lyons, USN (Ret.), Former Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet; Former Senior U.S. Military Representative to the United Nations
Henry F. Cooper, Former Director of the Strategic Defense Initiative and former U.S. Chief Negotiator at the Geneva Defense and Space Talks
Tidal McCoy, Former Secretary of the Air Force (Acting)
José Cárdenas, Former Staff Member, National Security Council; Former Acting Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)
Michael Braun, Former Chief of Operations, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration

President and CEO of the Center for Security Policy Frank J. Gaffney, Jr., commented:

“The notion that international security would be well-served by Venezuela’s presence on the United Nations Security Council cannot withstand overwhelming evidence to the contrary. Nicolas Maduro has continued Hugo Chavez’s legacy of destabilization and radicalization of Latin America, support for terrorism, and repression of human rights domestically, all of which stand in stark contrast to American, and indeed Western, national security interests and values. President Obama should heed the advice of these national security and human rights experts and oppose Venezuela’s bid – neutrality on such a fundamental question is not an option.”

The full text of the letter can be found below.

Letter Opposing Venezuelas bid for a UNSC Seat