Embassy Row. The
Washington Times. August 30, 2001.
The foreign minister of Venezuela this week called for the removal of U.S.
sanctions against Cuba and praised the "courageous" countries opposed
to the embargo.
Luis Alfonso Davila also expressed his country's desire for better
relations with the United States.
Mr. Davila urged the Permanent Council of the Organization of American
States to support the "complete integration" of the hemisphere, saying
no country should be "excluded."
Cuba was suspended from the OAS three years after the 1959 communist
revolution. It is the only country in the hemisphere without a democratic
government.
Mr. Davila praised the "courageous stance taken by countries
supporting the call to lift the embargo on Cuba" and added "there is
no reason ... to keep a sister republic excluded."
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has close relations with Fidel Castro
and has frequently expressed his admiration for the Cuban dictator.
Mr. Davila also congratulated the OAS for its efforts to draft a
democracy charter for the hemisphere.
He said the charter must "reflect the hemispherewide political
will and consensus surrounding democratic ideology."
"Democracy without full and real representation of citizens is not
democracy," Mr. Davila added. "Representative democracy is reinforced
and deepened through ongoing ethical and responsible participation of the
citizenry within a legal framework that is consistent with the constitution."
He said Mr. Chavez is pursuing "participatory democracy" in
the many constitutional changes adopted under his administration but more needs
to be done. | 
