Dear all who support strength through Peace NOT peace through Strength: my name is Randolph Anthony Piazza. I am an ex-Peace Corps Agricultural Extension Volunteer (Bolivia 2003-2004) and ex-CNFA/USAID Agribusiness Volunteer (Donduseni, Moldova 2006). I am circulating a petition in favor of the Republic of Moldova establishing stronger bilateral ties with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and securing aid from the International Humanitarian Fund. Humanitarian concern and the continued emergence of a multipolar world are my motivations. I have been in Venezuela since 2006, seeking to encourage Moldovan-Venezuelan relations through contact with governmental ministries (Foreign Affairs, Planning and Development, Finance, Science and Technology and Light Industry and Commerce) political parties (PCV, PSUV and PPT), Deputies in the Natonal Assembly, Latin American Parliament and Andean Parliament, international visitors (i.e. Joseph E. Stiglitz and Michael Leibowitz), various embassies and other influential figures.
The below petition is submitted for your consideration and may be forwarded to other parties, indeed I fraternally request your support in obtaining these signatures. With seven hundred signatures, it will be presented to the Venezuelan and Moldovan Ministries of Foreign Affairs. I wish to thank all those who lend support to this proposal, in the name of Moldova’s people and all those who recognise the importance of international socialism in these increasingly difficult times. Those who support it I kindly request that you send me your name, Nationality, job title and email address in an email with the following sentence “I STATE YOUR NAME support the Petition in Favor of the Initiative to Secure Aid from the International Humanitarian Fund of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the Republic of Moldova, as well as closer mutually beneficial bi-lateral relations between these two countries.
Randolph Anthony Piazza, Citizen of the USA
randolph.piazza(at)gmail.com
MA in Rural Livelihoods and Global Change 2005
The Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, The Netherlands
p.s. I am attaching the petition as well as the documents that I wrote that have been authorized by Moldovan government officials in the Academy of Sciences, which is on the same level as a Ministry.
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Petition in Favor of the Initiative to Secure Aid from the International Humanitarian Fund of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela for the Republic of Moldova, as well as closer mutually beneficial bi-lateral relations between these two countries
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has been truly revolutionary in its provision of humanitarian aid, not only to London and the United States, but also to devastated countries such as Palestine, Haiti and Zimbabwe.
With the gracious support of the majority of Venezuelan citizens, this hand of solidarity has been extended magnanimously to vulnerable populations around the world. President Hugo Chavez understands that socialist internationalism could save hundreds of millions of lives from global warming and energy scarcity in the coming decades.
We believe the Republic of Moldova represents a special case worthy of consideration by the International Humanitarian Fund of Venezuela, and all progressive foreign policy. We urge the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to take note of the plight of the Moldovans living in Europe’s poorest country.
Moldova is generally considered a failed state. In 2002, its GDP plunged by over two-thirds. In 2007, the vital agricultural sector suffered its most severe drought in modern history. Half of the working-age population now lives abroad, generating 36.2% of GDP and making Moldova the most remittance-dependent country in the world[i]. There also exists the human tragedy of Moldovan women being trafficked into sexual slavery.
Joseph Stiglitz has said that „[a]s the situation in Moldova demonstrates, without debt relief the highly indebted poor countries will not be able to meet the basic needs of their citizens, let alone make the investments necessary if they are to grow out of poverty”[ii]. Over 75% of Moldova’s vastly-reduced GDP continues to finance its foreign debt.
Moldova’s precarious situation, especially in rural areas, is forecasted to worsen dramatically as a result of growing unemployment in Europe, forcing economic migrants to return home and, as a result, money remittances from abroad will diminish. Rising energy costs and import dependency will further threaten the stability of the country, whose soldiers are utilized by NATO to undermine an emerging multi-polar world.
The foreign policy embodied within Venezuela’s „Simon Bolivar” National Project (2007-2013), and Chavez’s various proposals to create global humanitarian funds, have dramatically elevated the international standing of ’21st century socialism’. A very modest expansion of such policy to alleviate poverty in Moldova would establish yet another beacon of Bolivarian solidarity and hope in one of the most vulnerable regions of the planet.
We hope that the governments of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Republic of Moldova, in the names of their respective peoples, can establish a macro accord with the aim of strengthening bilateral relations and promoting mutual assistance wherever possible.
[i] The World Bank (2008) Migration and Remittances Factbook: The World Bank, Washington, D.C
[ii] Stiglitz, Joseph E. (2006) Making Globalization Work, W.W. Norton & Company, Chapter 8: The Burden of Debt
3 răspunsuri la “Petition in favor of the Republic of Moldova establishing stronger bilateral ties with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”
We don’t need any ties with such a country as Venesuela. We have our own dictatorial regime of which we would like to get rid as soon as possible. We need stronger ties with democratic countries such as the US and countries from the EU. Please mind your own business and let us alone.
Dear Gheorghe:
There is absolutely not a dictatorial regime in Venezuela.
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/4245 Allow me to share this article:
The president of France, Nicolas Sarkozy, sent a letter to his Venezuelan counterpart Hugo Chavez last week, congratulating him on the victory of a constitutional referendum allowing him to run for re-election in 2012.
The referendum was “characterized by strong participation that demonstrates, yet again, the vitality of democracy in Venezuela,” Sarkozy wrote.
“I hope the results will allow you to continue the policies you have implemented in the last ten years,” Sarkozy continued, “especially those improving social justice and reducing inequality in your country.”
He also expressed his desire that the dialogue and cooperation between the two countries would “further strengthen and develop in the future,” noting the ten existing agreements between them.
Chavez supporters celebrated last week after winning the electoral contest with 54.9 percent of the vote. Voter turnout was close to 70 percent.
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/4231
U.S. State Department Says Process was Democratic
United States State Department Spokesperson Gordon Duguid said in a daily press briefing Tuesday, “It’s my understanding that the referendum took place in a fully democratic process.”
“It was a matter for the Venezuelan people,” Duguid continued. When asked about the results of the referendum, Duguid said, “The process was held consistent with democratic principles… in the United States, we have term limits, but that’s our practice.”
FACTS ABOUT DEMOCRACY IN VENEZUELA:
Elections under the government of Hugo Chavez have been verified as free and fair by a range of independent international observers including the Organisation of American States, the European Union and the US Carter Centre. A total of 134 foreign observers took part in the election of November 23 for state governors and regional and municipal legislators. The observers came from 34 member countries of the Organization of American States (OAS), and included representatives of electoral organizations from America, Europe, Africa and Asia.
The elections were the 14th set of national votes held since 1998 when Hugo Chávez was first elected as President. Hugo Chávez and his coalition of supporters have won 14 of the 15 previous national elections and referenda. This is in stark contrast to the 40 years prior to President Chávez‘s election, when only 15 national electoral contests were staged in Venezuela.
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/analysis/3975
How can stronger relations with the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela benefit the Republic of Moldova?
If we look at the initiatives of Venezuela such as the International Humanitarian Fund, Bank of the South, ALBA, Petrocaribe we can see that Venezuela is promoting mutually beneficial cooperative relations with other countries
The citizens of London benefitted when Ken Livingstone was the mayor. Low income families in NYC and Boston benefit from the altruistic solidarity of Venezuela.
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/4090
There exists the possibility that the International Humanitarian Fund of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela could provide low interest loans without typical neoliberal conditions. http://un.org/events/wssd/summaries/envdevj30.htm
To understand why Venezuela could benefit Moldova we have to understand that the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas(ALBA), unlike other free trade agreements, represents an attempt at regional economic integration that is not based primarily on trade liberalization but on a vision of social welfare and mutual economic aid. Even though Moldova is very far from Latin America the countries of ALBA are very open to Russia and China participating and it is possible that ALBA would be open to Moldova also participating in some way.
http://74.125.47.132/search?q=cache:iSYNOIHHZZQJ:www.kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2009/02/16/2142_type82914_212970.shtml%20Bolivarian%20Alternative%20for%20the%20Americas%20Russia&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=ve