Venezuela Expels Human Rights Watch Jose Miguel Vivanco & Daniel Wilkinson
Caracas, Sep 19 (Prensa Latina) The Venezuelan government’s decision to expel two officials of the Human Rights Watch (HRW) organization was serious and responsible, Deputy Carlos Escarra affirmed on Friday.
HRW executive director for Americas Jose Miguel Vivanco, and his assistant Daniel Wilkinson were removed from Venezuela early today for illegally meddling in the country’s values, a foreign ministry’s note reads.
Interviewed by Venezolana de Television, Escarra recalled that Vivanco has murky records and collaborated with the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship in Chile.
“Our country cannot accept anyone that comes to attack the people and the institutions,” pointed out the parliamentarian, and added that Vivanco violated the Immigration Law by entering into the country with a tourist visa and making political statements.
In Venezuela, he sustained, “we are building a democracy that has the people’s power as the main protagonist, and we respect the Constitution approved by the majority.”
Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said in a telephone conversation that organizations such as HRW are disguised as human rights defenders, but in the end, they are organs funded by US agencies and the Department of State to attack countries that have adopted independent models.
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